Clemson Doesn't Care About the Naysayers

The Clemson football team has been one of the most targeted programs in the nation over the last six years.

But it is not only on the field, where they have been a part of the last six College Football Playoff, won two national titles and played in two other national title games, it is also off the field where they have found themselves as a lightning rod for controversy.

This season, it came in the form of assistant coach Danny Pearman's racial slur, head coach Dabo Swinney's belief that the season would be played, Swinney's ranking of Ohio State and his belief that the Buckeyes did not deserve a spot in the Playoff due to a lack of games.

But as the target from the media and other teams grows for the Tigers with every season, the Tigers are only focused on the one thing they can control.

"We don't focus on anything outside of the program. We focus on, you know, trying to be the best version of Clemson that we can be," tight end Braden Galloway said. "And it's not really about...what the media saying or what...outside sources are saying because we know...we are we're a tight knit group. It's Clemson family for a reason. And we just continue to try to work on that and continue being ourselves.

"You just have to learn how to embrace your target. And obviously, we are one of the, one of the best programs in college football. So we know we're going to get everybody's best, no matter who we're playing. So we have to prepare that way."