Here's why Clemson football, Dabo Swinney will return to College Football Playoff in 2023
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Dabo Swinney talked at length about his 15-year journey as Clemson football coach during the Tigers’ appearance at the ACC Kickoff media days on Thursday.
“It has been a blast, for sure,” Swinney said. “A lot of good years, some great years and some tough years.”
He’s right, of course, but the truly tough years have been few and far between since that 6-7 flop in 2010.
ACC championships have become a matter of course, with seven trophies added to the case in the past eight years. But the true measure of the Tigers’ success is no longer league crowns and ACC supremacy, but rather College Football Playoff berths and national titles.
My, how expectations have changed since that 31-26 loss to South Florida in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte on New Year’s Eve 2010.
After missing out on the playoff party in 2021, the Tigers were on the cusp of making a return last season until a one-point loss vs archrival South Carolina sent Clemson packing for Miami rather than Glendale, Arizona, or a short trip down I-85 to Atlanta.
With the CFP expanding to 12 teams next year, the 2023 season will be capped by the final “Final Four,” and Swinney would like to be a participant.
“It would awesome to get to the last Final Four this year,” Swinney said. “That would a pretty cool thing to be a part of.”
It would be cool, but is it realistic?
Perhaps it was fateful that as the uniformed mannequins representing each of the league’s 14 teams were removed one by one from the lobby of the ACC Kickoff headquarters late Thursday afternoon, the last mannequin standing was wearing a Clemson jersey.
Could the Tigers also be the last ACC team standing come December and earn that coveted berth in the Final Four?
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The task will be considerably more difficult this season what with the schedule including eight bowl teams and road games at Duke, Syracuse, Miami, NC State and South Carolina, but Swinney will get his wish, and here's why:
Cade Klubnik
The Tigers will get superior play from quarterback Cade Klubnik. He's just a sophomore with one career start under his belt, but is a proven winner who's eager to show what he can do after being thrown into the fray as an 18-year-old. He's packed on 20-plus pounds since his freshman season and is fairly brimming with confidence. "We're looking to be the best team in the country this year," Klubnik said.
Garrett Riley
The offense will rediscover its knack for big plays under new offensive coordinator Garrett Riley. With Will Shipley and Phil Mafah providing a formidable 1-2 punch in the backfield and receivers Beaux Collins and Adam Randall returning to full health, the weaponry is there. Throw tight end Jake Briningstool into the mix and the Tigers once again will showcase the explosiveness that defined Clemson teams that made six consecutive CFP appearances from 2015 through 2020.
Wes Goodwin
After slipping a bit under first-year coordinator Wes Goodwin last season, Clemson's defense will regain its prowess despite some depth concerns at defensive end and linebacker. The Tigers' first two levels are loaded with future NFL talent.
Margin for error
Finally, Clemson could slip up and lose a game during the regular season and still make the playoff thanks to a 12-1 record and an eighth ACC championship in nine years.
Still, Swinney has opted to take a conservative approach as the Tigers prepare to kick off preseason practice next week.
"That scoreboard ain’t lit up yet," Swinney said. "I’ll be more confident when I see it on game day.”
Rest assured that Swinney will see it. Time and time again.
And all the way to the final Final Four.
Scott Keepfer covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at skeepfer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @ScottKeepfer
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Why Clemson football, Dabo Swinney will return to CFP in 2023
