WINSTON SALEM, NC - OCTOBER 06: Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers waits to go onto the field ahead of quarterback Trevor Lawrence #16 before their game at BB&T Field on October 6, 2018 in Winston Salem, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)Dabo Swinney spoke to reporters today, so naturally the postponed game against Florida State came up. The Tigers were set to face the Seminoles in Tallahassee back on Nov. 21, before a positive test on Clemson’s travel roster discovered Saturday morning led FSU to cancel the game.
Obviously, that is frustrating for Clemson. The team hadn’t played since its loss at Notre Dame, and had traveled down to FSU only to have the game called off hours before kick. It isn’t surprising that Dabo railed against the decision after it came down. He hasn’t backed off of it though, even weeks later with a dominant win against Pitt under the team’s belt.
For a while, it looked like the game might be made up on Dec. 12. That won’t happen, the ACC announced today. Notre Dame’s game against Wake Forest is also completely off.
Before that news came down, Swinney was asked if he thought that a game the week before the ACC Championship, which will likely be a Clemson vs. Notre Dame rematch, would be beneficial. It doesn’t sound like he was super interested in adding to the existing schedule after Saturday’s scheduled game against Virginia Tech.
If Clemson football has to play a game Dec. 12, an open date before the ACC championship game, it should be against Florida State, Swinney said. https://t.co/kErymA9kJ8
— Independent Mail (@independentmail) December 1, 2020
If there was going to be a game, however, Dabo Swinney does believes that it should be against the Seminoles, rather than making the team prepare for another team not previously on the schedule.
From the Independent Mail:
“If we had to play a game (Dec. 12), we should play the game that was scheduled. That’s what I think,” Swinney said. “We shouldn’t have to prepare for a 12th game. We had an 11-game schedule. .. Nobody has told me at this point (that there might be a game on Dec. 12). Right now, we have to win two games (Saturday at Virginia Tech and then the ACC championship game to reach the College Football Playoffs.)”
“Unless you were living under a rock the last week or so, I had strong opinions then,” Swinney said “… My strong opinion has already been voiced.”
Now, the ACC has made it official that there won’t be a makeup game. Beat Virginia Tech, and Clemson will have its shot for revenge against Notre Dame, and to clinch a College Football Playoff spot without much worry.
