GREENVIILE — No one knows how to spark a ground better than Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney. The Tigers’ head coach spoke to the Clemson faithful at halftime of Sunday’s Alabama-Clemson basketball game at The Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville.
“I’m here for one reason, and that is to say thank you,” Swinney said. “As a lot of you know, me, my staff and our team appreciates you guys. We have the longest winning streak in the country and the main reason is because of the support we get from the fans every single week.”
Clemson, who will play No. 4 Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl on New Year’s Eve as part of the College Football Playoffs, has won 16 straight games dating back to last year. This season, the Tigers went 13-0 to claim the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, while winning the program’s 15th ACC Championship.
Swinney admitted winning the ACC again was nice, but the Tigers have more to accomplish.
“We are four quarters away,” he said as the crowd began to get louder. “We played fifty-two quarters this year and we are undefeated. We are four quarters away from playing for the national championship.”
Swinney, who has been on the road recruiting as well as attending award ceremonies for Shaq Lawson and Deshaun Watson since the Tigers won the ACC Championship last week, said he is glad to be back home and back on the practice fields.
The Clemson team reported to practice on Sunday and had a light workout. They will continue to practice through the coming week before leaving for Christmas break on Dec. 21. The Tigers will reconvene in Miami for the Orange Bowl on Dec. 26.
The Tigers and Sooners play at 4 p.m. on New Year’s Eve at Sun Life Stadium from Miami Gardens, Fla.
“All I can say is that I am glad to be back home. It has been a long week,” Swinney said. “It has been a long week, but it has been a lot of fun. It has been great being on the road and representing that Paw as the No. 1 team in the country.
“This football team is special. They have been a lot of fun to coach.”
Swinney finished by encouraging the fans to go buy as many tickets as they can and meet him and the team in Miami on New Year’s Eve.
“Let’s go do what we have to do to get to Arizona,” Swinney said.
The National Championship Game will be played in Glendale, Ariz., on Jan. 11 at 8 p.m.