Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is well aware of how his team compares with the SEC, not only from facing Alabama in the College Football Playoff, but also playing Texas A&M the last two years and of course the annual game with South Carolina.

“Who has beat Alabama in SEC? How many years have they lost the last five years in their conference? Had to really think about it, don’t you? Ain’t many,” Swinney said, according to TigerNet.”Yet we’ve had a great run in our conference because it’s only because nobody is else good. It’s just the rhetoric. … I can’t control what other people think or say. We’ve only won in postseason because people are tired or there are distractions… it’s funny.”

Swinney has been acutely aware of national perception about the ACC as Clemson has become a regular participant in the CFP in recent years and strength of schedule is a regular topic. While a narrative may be that Clemson’s schedule is weaker, Swinney said it’s the same as it’s ever been. Eight conference games, two SEC games unless the Tigers play Notre Dame, another Division I and an FCS from the state of South Carolina.

“Every year we don’t play anybody,” Swinney said recalling what he perceives as national conversation. “At the beginning of my career, it was they’ll never be a great ACC team in the Playoff because they don’t play anybody. Well, then we’ve become a dominant team in the postseason and we only win because we don’t play anybody.”