The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Clemson begins preparations to face Notre Dame in playoffs
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) >> Clemson has begun preparations for its College Football Playoff semifinal against Notre Dame at the Cotton Bowl.
The Tigers (13- 0, CFP No. 2) had taken a weekand-a-half break — aside from several All-Americans crisscrossing the country for various college football awards — since winning the Atlantic Coast Conference title with a 4210 victory over Pitt. But to the sounds of “Santa Claus is Coming To Town,” Clemson reconvened Wednesday at its indoor training facility to start getting ready for the Fighting Irish (12-0, CFP No. 3) on Dec. 29.
No. 1 Alabama (13-0, CFP No. 1) takes on No. 4 Oklahoma (12-1, CFP No. 4) in the other semifinal at the Orange Bowl.
The Cotton and Orange winners advance to the national title game in Santa Clara, California, on Jan. 7.
“The energy was really good,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “The guys were eager to get out there and get going.”
Despite Clemson’s powerpacked offense and defense (the Tigers are fifth nationally in overall offense and fourth in the country on defense), the Tigers honed in on the details of what it will take to advance to their third national title game in four seasons .
“I want us to focus on the little things,” running backs coach and co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott counseled his group. He urged them to stay low to reduce a defender’s target area and not forget the things they’ve worked on since last year ended with a 24-6 loss to eventual national titlist Alabama in the CFP semis.
The Tigers last played Notre Dame in a dramafilled, rainy 24-22 victory in 2015, a game where Swinney quipped the Tigers had to “BYOG, bring your own guts.”
He’s not sure that contest will have much bearing on this one, especially since Swinney has spent several plane rides reviewing Notre Dame games— and getting more and more concerned about the challenge ahead for the Tigers.