CFB analyst: Clemson would be Georgia-like in the SEC
Every successful non-SEC team hears one question regularly from SEC fans: “But could they do it in the SEC?”
The level of competition top-to-bottom is a great source of pride for the SEC and its fans. Impressive feats by non-SEC teams such as Oklahoma, Ohio State, UCF and others are always countered by that old pesky question from media members and SEC fans.
But what about Clemson, a program in an SEC state that has built an SEC-like roster by winning head-to-head recruiting battles against the SEC’s big boys?
Veteran college football analyst Pete Fiutak recently weighed in on how Clemson might fare against an SEC schedule when he appeared on WFNZ’s Wilson and Parcell Show. The CollegeFootballNews.com publisher opined that Clemson would be Georgia-like playing in the SEC. While there are six SEC East teams that dread the thought of the conference having another Georgia, Fiutak appears to be referring to UGA’s struggle to get over the national championship hump.
“Yeah, Clemson you’re great. No one’s denying your greatness, but stick Clemson in the SEC and they’re like, what, Georgia? They might get through one (challenge) to get to a national championship. But it’s one thing to go do what an Alabama’s done and go through LSU, Auburn, Mississippi State and the whole SEC world or else having to go through NC State – the Virginias of the world. It’s just a different animal.”
Fiutak’s comments can be heard below:
Clemson fans understandably won’t appreciate Fiutak’s comments and would likely point out that the Tigers beat Alabama to win both of their recent national championships, annually play South Carolina and defeated Texas A&M last season. Plenty of SEC fans would point out that beating Alabama doesn’t make a team national champions (e.g.: Auburn, 2017; Ole Miss, 2014-15). This certainly won’t be the last time we hear “Clemson vs. the SEC” what if’s.
