Clemson’s firm control of ACC fuels rise to the elite

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 happened without first asserting unquestioned control of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The Tigers open practice this week as the overwhelming favorite to become the first team to win four straight 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.

“I didn’t sit back and say, ‘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 media days. “But I definitely envisioned Clemson being one of the best programs in the country, and I envisioned this league growing and becoming one of the most dominant leagues in the country.”

Indeed, the Tigers’ rise helped the ACC climb onto level footing with its touted Southeastern Conference neighbor.

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 Clemson only the fifth team to win at least three straight powerconference championship games since the SEC held the first in 1992, a group featuring FSU, Alabama in the SEC (2014-16) and Oklahoma in the Big 12 (2006-08).

Another December crown in Charlotte would allow Clemson to join Steve Spurrier’s Florida teams in the SEC (1993-96) as the only power-conference schools to win four straight league title games.