For the third year in a row, Alabama and Clemson will meet in the College Football Playoff. Of course, the first two showdowns were each National Championship Games that went down to the wire with each side winning. Now the two will meet in a National Semifinal for a chance to advance to the title game.

So how does Clemson coach Dabo Swinney feel about having to go thru the Tide once again? According to the Alabama grad, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Swinney was a guest Monday morning on WJOX 94.5 FM The Opening Drive and went into length regarding the upcoming game. The Clemson coach is well aware that a top-ranked team has yet to win the Playoff. He also had a clever response to that fact.

“No. 1 has never won, and there’s never been back-to-back Playoff champions in this era but hey, there’s a first time for everything, right? Sooner or later, somebody’s gotta do it — might as well be us,” Swinney said on the air. “That’s been our mindset from Day One around here.”

Clemson’s coach also discussed the budding rivalry against Alabama and what it means to both sides of the contest.

“We’ve won 61 games in the last five years, and Alabama’s won 62. To have to play Alabama again for the third time, that’s just kinda the way it’s supposed to be, at least for us anyway,” Swinney said. “We have had to earn our way the last eight years. You get to the Playoff, that’s the way it’s supposed to be. Alabama, you can just count on them being there, and if you’re going to win it all, you’re going to have to beat Alabama, regardless. It’s just the way it’s supposed to be.

“It’s become a heck of a matchup. I think you look at the previous two games and the way the teams played, at the end of the day someone’s going to win and lose but you just love to see guys play with unbelievable effort and that’s what’s happened in these last two games — and that’s what you’ll get this game. I guarantee you’ll get two teams that will battle as the way for four quarters.”

Alabama and Clemson will meet Monday, Jan. 1 in the Sugar Bowl from New Orleans.