Dabo Swinney took a shot at the College Football Playoff – and at Georgia – after Clemson’s victory over South Carolina on Saturday.
The Clemson coach was direct in what he perceives as a lack of respect for his program and its ACC schedule following a 38-3 win over its in-state rival. Clemson (12-0), the defending national champion, is currently third in the CFP rankings behind Ohio State and LSU and ahead of Georgia.
“How important is this game? It’s huge,” Swinney said. “It’s huge from a national standpoint ‘cause obviously if we lose this game, they are going to kick us out. They don’t want us in there anyway. We’d drop to 20. Georgia loses to this very same team (South Carolina) and the very next day it’s how to we keep Georgia in? We win to the team (North Carolina) that beat South Carolina and it’s how to we get Clemson out?
“It’s the dadgummest thing. So it’s big because they can’t vote us out. We got to go 30-0. We ain’t got no choice. We don’t play anybody.”
Georgia (11-1) lost at home to South Carolina, a 20-17 overtime defeat on Oct. 12. It was the only loss for the Bulldogs, who scored a 52-7 win over its in-state rival Georgia Tech on Saturday.
Clemson will play Virginia in the ACC Championship and Georgia will play LSU in the SEC Championship on Saturday.
The next CFP rankings will be released on Tuesday. The final rankings that will determine the four-team playoff for the national championship will be released on Sunday.
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