As the Clemson football team takes on SMU in the ACC Championship game, a win would not only secure the conference title but an automatic bid to the College Football Playoffs. Clemson football head coach Dabo Swinney would have a positive outlook on their chances to be in and ultimately win the 12-team tourney when speaking to the media Tuesday.

Swinney is not a stranger to the national championships as his Tigers teams have won it twice in 2016 and 2018, but this year would be arguably more impressive if pulled off since they wouldn't be a highly ranked squad. However, Swinney would ask, “Why not?” about their chances and say they would be the first three-loss team to win the title, according to Chapel Fowler.

“Like, why not? I mean, it's just football. We got a bunch of good football players. All you gotta do is win the game you play,” Swinney said. “Why not? I mean, somebody's gonna win it, you know, if fortunate enough to win this game, you get a ticket to Willy Wonka's factory, right? You get to go, you know, on the magic elevator and you get to be in the tournament. And so if we're fortunate to win this game and get that opportunity, anything can happen. Anything can happen. I think we were the first 15-0 team, national championship team, maybe we could be the first three-loss team, huh? Boy, that would upset some people. God, y'all have to take a bunch of stuff back that y'all say every day. That would really disappoint you people, but why not? Why not?”

Clemson football's Dabo Swinney “proud of the consistency”

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney calls a time out during the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium.
Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images
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Right now, the Clemson football team is ranked No. 17 in the country, and as said before, even with a win in the ACC title game, they would likely be one of the lower-ranked squads as they could be at the mercy of the committee. Still, Swinney would say that he is “proud” of the amount of “consistency” his program has been through, which is true since they will be in the conference championship for an eighth season out of the last 10.

“I’m proud of the consistency. Uncommon consistency,” Swinney said per On3 Sports. “This is our 10th time in this game in 16 years. I know we’re supposedly a bad program now, and we’re doom and gloom. It’s all downhill, and everything’s terrible. But I think we’ve been in this game two of the last three years. This is our eighth time in 10 years. And I don’t think we’ve gone back-to-back years not being in this game since 13-14.”

“I know for all the things that have to change, and how we’re supposed to be like everybody else, I’d say that’s pretty good. Eight times in 10 years,” Swinney continued. “We’ve got two goals left, and that’s to win the ACC and win the closer. And if we hit those two goals, hey, we’ll be national champs.”

The Clemson Tigers will focus on SMU for their Dec. 7 matchup for the ACC title.