Shot fired: Dabo Swinney doesn’t buy that Alabama was worn out by SEC schedule
By Keith Farner
Published:
Dabo Swinney in recent weeks has spoke up about the strength of the ACC. Now he’s centered his sights on the SEC, and whether the narrative of the conference being a “grind” is accurate.
Intimately familiar with Alabama after Clemson routed the Crimson Tide 44-16 to win its second national title in the last three years over Alabama, Swinney is familiar with the schedule and what to expect from a College Football Playoff opponent.
“Listen, the SEC is a great conference, but I don’t think they’ve been as deep the last few years,” Swinney told ESPN. “I think they’ve had two or three really good teams and then it’s kind of been hit or miss from there. It’s an awesome league, for sure, and I know people say that Alabama was tired because they went through the grind and had to play all these teams. Well, they won by an average of 33.1 points per game (going into the playoff), so they ought to be well-rested.
“My thing on that is, ‘Are you serious? They’re tired?’ Then you look at Clemson, and we won 12 games by 20-plus. Who really challenged Alabama in the SEC? They didn’t get challenged by anybody until the Georgia game (for the SEC championship).”
Since Clemson will meet Texas A&M again this season, this time in Clemson, following last year’s 28-26 victory in College Station, look for this topic to bubble up the week of Sept. 7. And then it may come back around ahead of the South Carolina game on Nov. 30. But ultimately, the debate will only be settled during bowl season, or especially in the CFP if the season plays out the way many expect with Clemson meeting a member or two of the SEC in the CFP.
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
