Swinney Understands the Buckeyes

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney is very familiar with the 2019 Ohio State Buckeyes. Even before his third-ranked Tigers were pitted against the second-ranked Buckeyes in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl in the semifinal of the College Football Playoff, Swinney hd seen enough of the Buckeyes to understand how good of team they have and how difficult the challenge will be when the two teams meet Dec. 28.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney is very familiar with the 2019 Ohio State Buckeyes. 

Even before his third-ranked Tigers were pitted against the second-ranked Buckeyes in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl in the semifinal of the College Football Playoff, Swinney hd seen enough of the Buckeyes to understand how good of team they have and how difficult the challenge will be when the two teams meet Dec. 28.

"I have seen them several times, actually. I think they played a lot of noon games this year. I have had a chance to see them several times with the way our schedule has been," Swinney said. "And it's just impressive. I mean, impressive. Just built in the trenches. They're good up front on both sides. 

"They've got as good a players there is in college football coming off the edge. Their quarterback has been amazing. They've got great skill outside and great backs that can run the ball. So this is a very complete team, very well coached. And it's going to be a challenge."

This years matchup will be the fourth meeting all-time for the two programs, with the Tigers owning a 3-0 overall record over the Buckeyes. The most recent game between the two teams came in 2016 in this very same bowl game, on the very same field, in the very same city. 

That game ended with the TIgers shutting out the Buckeyes in a dominant 31-0 victory that sent them back to the national championship, a game they ultimately won over the Alabama Crimson TIde. 

However, when Swinney looks back on that historic beatdown of one of the most storied programs in college football history, he does not believe that it proved anything to him or his players because they already knew who they were—an elite program that was only just beginning their run of dominance. 

"I think we already knew who we were," Swinney said. "We had a lot of success prior to 2015 – or 2016. Obviously in 2016 played for the national championship out there in Arizona. We were able to take the next step in the playoff and get back to the national championship game to have a chance to beat Alabama.

"But we made big plays. We were able to capitalize with a few big plays. That game just got us back to the national championship for back to back years."

Much like what happened in 2016, the Tigers will be looking to parlay a win in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl into back-to-back appearances in the national championship game. 

But Swinney understands that the challenge of getting where the Tigers want to go involves knocking off one of the best teams in the nation.

“(They are) talented on both sides of the ball,” he said about the Buckeyes. “Just two great programs that I know that will have great will to win, and it's going to be an awesome environment and a great game. No doubt about it. It's a blessing to be a part of it. We're thankful. And just really looking forward to the whole experience out there.”