National championship goals are not yet lost for Clemson, but the Tigers are trending the wrong direction with two losses in their first three games.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said he’s hearing the criticism, but he’s intent on proving the Tigers can swim in hot water.
He barked back at mounting criticism and so-called haters of Clemson’s position in the playoff pecking order, which became louder after the 24-21 road loss to Georgia Tech last week. Clemson also lost the opener to LSU, 17-10.
The Tigers are 1-2 for the first time since 2014, when they finished 10-3 and beat Oklahoma in the Russell Athletic Bowl.
“If they want me gone, if they’re tired of winning, they can send me on my way because that’s all we’ve done is win,” Swinney said on Tuesday.
“So if they’re tired of winning … we’ve won this league eight out of the last 10 years. Is that not good? I’m just asking. Is that good?
“To go to the Playoff seven out of 10 years, be in four national championships, win it twice?
“If Clemson’s tired of winning, they can send me on my way, but I’m gonna go somewhere else and coach. I ain’t going to the beach. Hell, I’m 55. I’ve got a long way to go. Y’all are gonna have to deal with me for a while. I’m just getting going. I’m just now good enough to be a head coach. I just now am figuring it out. So we’ll be around awhile. Let’s hang in there. … I got a long way to go, boys. Long way to go. Hate to disappoint all the haters out there.”
Getting back to the College Football Playoff is shaping up as a serious challenge for the unranked Tigers. Fellow Atlantic Coast Conference member Miami (3-0) is No. 4 in the latest Top 25 poll and three spots ahead of Florida State (2-0). Georgia Tech (3-0) is 18th.
“If you don’t believe in us because we’ve lost two games, you didn’t believe in us anyway,” Swinney said. “So it doesn’t matter. You weren’t all-in anyway.”
