Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is a master at breathing oxygen into the theory that the Tigers are overlooked in the rankings and general conversation nationally around college football.

Swinney has come up with a host of phrases like the “ROY bus,” which stands for “rest of y’all” and “poor ol’ Clemson” as the Tigers slipped in the polls and are not measured up favorably with so-called blue bloods in college football like Alabama.

So Swinney was asked this week if he had any “sage advice” for Clemson fans worried about the team being No. 5 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings.

“I would say they don’t give any trophies after nine games, last time I checked,” Swinney said with a wide smile to Scott Keepfer. “Thank goodness, right? Have we been No. 1 after nine games before? Maybe that year, but they don’t give trophies after nine games. It’s all good. We’re just honored to be one of those teams that has a chance. We’re going to keep scrapping and clawing seeing if we can try and win games.”

Clemson is largely ranked No. 5 because of the weakness of the ACC this season, but the Tigers have plenty of ways to get back into the top four. Most people believe the losers of upcoming games between LSU and Alabama, and Ohio State and Penn State will fall out and make room for Clemson to be in the Playoff if it wins out.