Tigers cemented as ACC’s power
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Dabo Swinney has built Clemson into an every-year power with regular College Football Playoff appearances and a recent national championship. None of that could’ve hapSHQHG ZLWKRXW ¿UVW DVVHUWLQJ unquestioned control of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The Tigers open practice this week as the overwhelming favorite to become the ¿UVW WHDP WR ZLQ IRXU VWUDLJKW ACC titles since Florida State’s romp through the 1990s. They also could become only the second power-conference team to win four straight league championship games.
³, GLGQ¶W VLW EDFN DQG VD\ ‘Well we’re Clemson and we’re going to go out there and everybody’s going to try to catch us,’” Swinney said during the ACC Kickoff preseason PHGLD GD\V ³%XW , GH¿QLWHO\ envisioned Clemson being one of the best programs in the FRXQWU\ DQG , HQYLVLRQHG WKLV league growing and becoming one of the most dominant leagues in the country.”
,QGHHG WKH 7LJHUV¶ ULVH helped the ACC climb onto level footing with its touted Southeastern Conference neighbor.
,W ZDVQ¶W ORQJ DJR WKDW Clemson was chasing Florida State in the ACC’s powerheavy Atlantic Division . The Seminoles won three straight ACC titles from 2012-14 while going 26-1 against league teams — 3-0 against Clemson — and winning a national FKDPSLRQVKLS LQ WKH ¿QDO BCS season of 2013. But the Tigers followed that with their own impressive run, giving the league a sustained stretch RI WRS ÀLJKW VXFFHVV ZKLOH putting the ACC alongside the SEC as the only leagues to reach all four playoffs.
Clemson is 25-2 against ACC teams in the past three seasons, with 18 wins by double-digit margins. The losses at home against Pittsburgh in 2016 and at Syracuse last year came by a combined four points. And last year’s 38-3 rout of then-No. 7 Miami made &OHPVRQ RQO\ WKH ¿IWK WHDP to win at least three straight power-conference championship games since the SEC KHOG WKH ¿UVW LQ D JURXS featuring FSU, Alabama in the SEC (2014-16) and Oklahoma in the Big 12 (2006-08).
Another December crown in Charlotte would allow ClemVRQ WR MRLQ 6WHYH 6SXUULHU¶V Florida teams in the SEC (1993-96) as the only powerconference schools to win four straight league title games.
³,W DOO JRHV WRJHWKHU WKHLU budgets are elite, their facilities are elite and they’re able to recruit and attract the elite players,” said Boston College coach Steve Addazio, whose Eagles face the Tigers annually in the Atlantic. “So they’re a ‘Have’ — that’s the EHVW ZD\ , FDQ VD\ LW ´