Swinney Highlights One Thing That Would Most Benefit Clemson Tigers in CFP Race

Getting a bye week would help the Clemson Tigers get healthy for the CFP

Nov 2, 2024; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney reacts during the fourth quarter against the Louisville Cardinals at Memorial Stadium. / Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

As the Clemson Tigers head into rivalry week, their hopes of making the College Football Playoff are very much alive. 

Week 14 is going to be a massive game for the Tigers, as they will be facing off against a talented South Carolina Gamecocks team. Rivalry games are never easy, and with the Gamecocks being a top team in the country as well, this should be a good one. 

For quite some time, it appeared like the only way into the CFP for Clemson was going to be to win the ACC. However, due to a lot of teams losing in front of them in the rankings, the Tigers would likely be in with a win over their rival. 

However, the hope is still that the Miami Hurricanes will lose to the Syracuse Orange, as that would give Clemson a spot in the conference championship game. 

Recently, head coach Dabo Swinney spoke about his desire to win the ACC in order to get a much-needed bye in the CFP. 

“My preference will be to win the ACC and get a bye to the second round. That would be my preference,” Swinney said. “But sign me up for whatever happens if we can find a way in there. But yeah, if I had a perfect world, I would love to win the league, get a bye into the second round and all of that stuff. (A bye) would be ideal to me, and get a little bit of a break,” Swinney said to Will Vandervort of the Clemson Insider. “It’s what we talk about. It is this time of the year, and it is just not us, everybody is dealing with some injuries and things like that, so we will take whatever we can get and we will be ready.”

The Tigers are certainly dealing with a number of injuries like most teams at this point in the season. Over the past couple of weeks, their offensive line depth has really been tested with multiple injuries to the unit. 

While winning the conference would be nice for the prestige and the bye, being healthy for the CFP is the number one goal, whichever way that happens. 

First and foremost, Clemson is going to need to beat their rival in Week 14. If they do, it should be the type of resume building win that secures them a spot in the CFP.