NO. 1 CLEMSON HAVING FUN BEFORE TEST

This is Clemson coach Dabo Swinney’s favorite time of the year — his league champion Tigers primed for bowl practice and ready to chase a national title.

“This is fun for me,” Swinney said Tuesday night.

The top-ranked Tigers (12-1, No. 1 CFP) have had most of the past 10 days off since dismantling Miami 38-3 to win their third straight Atlantic Coast Conference crown. That brought a third consecutive trip to the College Football Playoff where they’ll face No. 4 Alabama (11-1) for — you guessed it — the third year in a row in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day.

Swinney said the players needed the break from what was a long season striving to match last year’s national champions. They reconvened Sunday night for a brief workout in shorts before getting down to the serious business of prepping for the Crimson Tide.

“We’ve got a good plan,” Swinney said.

The Tigers usually do. They are 40-3 the past three seasons, including one defeat coming to Alabama and coach Nick Saban in the 2015 title game, 45-40. Clemson faced the Tide in the final game a year ago, this time coming away with 35-31 victory with a last-second TD to shock favored Alabama.

Third Georgia player arrested.

GA.» A ATHENS,

Georgia freshman is facing a felony forgery charge over allegations of passing a counterfeit $100 bill last summer, the third player to be arrested since the Bulldogs won the Southeastern Conference championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Defensive back Latavious Brini was taken into custody Tuesday evening by the Clarke County sheriff’s office.

UCLA hires former Iowa State coach.

Paul Rhoads was named UCLA’s defensive backs coach.

UCLA announced the addition of the former Iowa State head coach to Chip Kelly’s new staff Wednesday.

Footnotes.

Wofford coach Mike Ayers retired after 30 seasons as the Terriers’ football coach. … Hall of Fame college football coach Lou Holtz is suing The Daily Beast over an article that claimed he called immigrants “deadbeats” at last year’s Republican National Convention in Cleveland.