Georgia Bulldogs’ opener is a “Big Deal” for the Clemson Tigers, according to Dabo Swinney
For the first time in over thirty years, the Clemson Tigers want to do anything against a preseason No. 1 team.
Dabo Swinney, the football coach for the Clemson Tigers, answered questions from the media before of their AFLAC Kickoff game against Georgia on Saturday.
In the first game of the season for both teams, the No. 14 Tigers and the No. 1 Bulldogs will square off in Atlanta. Along with a little bit of wit, Swinney brought along a statistic that needed some fact-checking.
Since 1990, “I don’t think a preseason No. 1 has lost an opener,” stated Swinney.
Assuming that one does not wish to comb through 35 years of preseason AP polls, Swinney was right. However, Miami (FL) was ranked as the top team in the country in the preseason AP poll during the year he mentioned. The Hurricanes had a 10-2 season that ended with a No. 4 position in the final poll. They had begun the season at No. 16 BYU and lost, 28-21.
It was clear that 1990 was being referenced. When the Tigers take on the Bulldogs, who have defeated two of the previous three national winners and are widely regarded as the favorites to win three in a row, they will have the opportunity to repeat as champions as BYU did.
According to Swinney, winning the first game is important right away. It becomes slightly more significant, though, when you’re playing the nation’s top squad.
“It would undoubtedly be enormous for our players and give you a lot of momentum early on, especially for our supporters,” Swinney remarked. It’s undoubtedly a huge thing because of Clemson vs. Georgia and all the related rivalry.
Georgia has historically had a 43-18-4 advantage in the rivalry, making it comparatively one-sided. The Bulldogs have prevailed in the last two games; Georgia won 10-3 in Charlotte in 2021, the most recent one. The two teams’ first meeting will take place in Atlanta, which is roughly 90 minutes away from Georgia’s hometown of Athens.
The Tigers had a 9–4 season in which they were not selected for the ACC championship game. After all, Clemson hasn’t made it to the College Football Playoffs since 2020. This year, 12 teams will be participating in the expanded postseason, and Swinney is aiming to make a statement.
Swinney is attempting to balance what he knows to be a big game with what he knows to be a lengthy season because of this.
“Even if we win the game, they won’t give us a national championship trophy,” Swinney declared.
He also mentioned Appalachian State, the next opponent for Clemson, a formidable Group of 5 team that has defeated major conference opponents like Michigan.
“Every week needs to be the biggest game of the year, so you best get over this quickly because you are exposed as you go through your schedule. That simply needs to be an attitude, he remarked.
