Is Dabo right?

[cwalke3408]

That is a non-issue, as Alabama beat Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl, partly due to having a month to prepare for that game. As a matter of fact, they are 4-1 in the CFB Playoff Era in the Semi-Final Bowl Games losing to Ohio State (B1G) in the Sugar in 2014, beating Michigan State (B1G) in the Cotton in 2015, beating Washington (Pac-12) in the Peach in 2016, beating Clemson (ACC) in the Sugar in 2017 and beating Oklahoma (Big Xii) in the Orange in 2018. It's the turn-around National Championship Game against an even better foe that has been tougher for them (and other Championship Game participants) not the Regular Season to Bowl Game turn-around.

I find it particularly interesting that in the 5 Championship Games, the team that beat Oklahoma (0-3) and the team that played in the Outdoor Bowl Game (0-4) has struggled more in the Championship Game and lost the CFB CG. I think it is clear that playing a Semi Inside and avoiding Oklahoma in the Semis is more successful path to the National Championship. One or both of these factors negatively effected Oregon in 2014 (Semi in Rose Bowl), Clemson in 2015 (Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl), Georgia in 2017 (Oklahoma in the Rose) and Alabama in 2018 (Oklahoma in the Orange). 3 of those four faced the double whammy (Oklahoma Outdoors).

This could simply be a coincidence, as there are only 5 years of data so far, but I think it is intriguing. This year, both Semis will be inside (Peach and Fiesta), so avoiding OU in the Semi will be the key IMO!

Just my onion.

It’s mostly just a coincidence. 2 of the 3 games after OU could have gone either way

 

[78Cyclones]

It’s mostly just a coincidence. 2 of the 3 games after OU could have gone either way

Could be!

I still think playing OU in the Semi made it harder for Clemson in 2015 and for Georgia in 2017 vs. Alabama in the Championship. Perhaps, the Tigers and Bulldogs win those games if the Semi-final opponents were switched? No slam on Clemson either, as they have been on the bad side of this too.

fyi: I think Clemson was a little better last year either way, but it did take more out of Alabama to beat OU in the Orange last year than it did for 'Bama to beat Michigan State in the Cotton in 2015 or Clemson (with Bryant @ QB) in the Sugar in 2017.

I'll say it now as a first guess, if Alabama, Clemson and OU all make the Playoff this year, I bet the team who plays OU in the Semi loses the Championship Game (if they are able to beat the Sooners).

FWIW, the one year where neither team played an Outdoor Bowl and did not have to face OU in the Semi, Clemson beat Alabama in the Championship Game in Tampa. So, there is that!

Only think that matters is that the Clemson Tigers are running things right now! Punking Alabama like they did last year ain't easy!

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

The citadel bulldawgs'll getcha if ya look past 'em, yesirree bob!

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Dabo not buying that SEC grind wore out Bama

Dude can't get any respeck...his teams have beaten the Bammers twice now, and people still want to say it was a fluke. If I was him, i'd be saying the same thing

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Perhaps St Nick needs to learn a lesson from Dabo so his team isn't so worn out at the end of the season when the games really start to count.

Clemson lets almost the whole roster play, destroys good teams anyway

Dabo Swinney’s Clemson is known for letting plenty of guys see the field. A 41-7 drubbing over a previously undefeated NC State has to be near the epitome.


A look at Clemson’s box score shows that the Tigers played 84 (eighty four) players on either offense, defense, or special teams. That’s almost all of the 95 total players listed on the roster. Only 85 are even allowed to be on scholarship.


Just for comparison, from the same day: Alabama listed 44 players as having seen the field in its similar blowout win over Tennessee, and Oklahoma listed 49 during an easy win over TCU.


Clemson played 54 players in the first quarter alone.

"You put in the work in practice, you'll get in the game"

This is one reason why Dabo is building such a program. He gets buy-in from every last player on the roster.

 

[cwalke3408]

Could be!

I still think playing OU in the Semi made it harder for Clemson in 2015 and for Georgia in 2017 vs. Alabama in the Championship. Perhaps, the Tigers and Bulldogs win those games if the Semi-final opponents were switched? No slam on Clemson either, as they have been on the bad side of this too.

fyi: I think Clemson was a little better last year either way, but it did take more out of Alabama to beat OU in the Orange last year than it did for 'Bama to beat Michigan State in the Cotton in 2015 or Clemson (with Bryant @ QB) in the Sugar in 2017.

I'll say it now as a first guess, if Alabama, Clemson and OU all make the Playoff this year, I bet the team who plays OU in the Semi loses the Championship Game (if they are able to beat the Sooners).

FWIW, the one year where neither team played an Outdoor Bowl and did not have to face OU in the Semi, Clemson beat Alabama in the Championship Game in Tampa. So, there is that!

Only think that matters is that the Clemson Tigers are running things right now! Punking Alabama like they did last year ain't easy!

Meh, it's a non factor to me. As good as OU offense is and how much energy it takes to cover them, their defense is just as bad and teams can save just as much energy going against a less physical team. It work both ways. We have also seen OSU win the NC after playing the "tougher" semi vs Bama and Clemson winning the NC after winning the "tougher" semi vs OSU. So really the teams with the "easier" semi game are only 3-2 in the natty

 

[Kaplony]

Could be!

I still think playing OU in the Semi made it harder for Clemson in 2015 and for Georgia in 2017 vs. Alabama in the Championship. Perhaps, the Tigers and Bulldogs win those games if the Semi-final opponents were switched? No slam on Clemson either, as they have been on the bad side of this too.

fyi: I think Clemson was a little better last year either way, but it did take more out of Alabama to beat OU in the Orange last year than it did for 'Bama to beat Michigan State in the Cotton in 2015 or Clemson (with Bryant @ QB) in the Sugar in 2017.

I'll say it now as a first guess, if Alabama, Clemson and OU all make the Playoff this year, I bet the team who plays OU in the Semi loses the Championship Game (if they are able to beat the Sooners).

FWIW, the one year where neither team played an Outdoor Bowl and did not have to face OU in the Semi, Clemson beat Alabama in the Championship Game in Tampa. So, there is that!

Only think that matters is that the Clemson Tigers are running things right now! Punking Alabama like they did last year ain't easy!

OU had nothing to do with Clemson's loss to Bama in 2015. The biggest factor in our loss was shoddy special teams and the failure of our safeties in coverage and that was something that plagued us all of 2015.

 

[78Cyclones]

Meh, it's a non factor to me. As good as OU offense is and how much energy it takes to cover them, their defense is just as bad and teams can save just as much energy going against a less physical team. It work both ways. We have also seen OSU win the NC after playing the "tougher" semi vs Bama and Clemson winning the NC after winning the "tougher" semi vs OSU. So really the teams with the "easier" semi game are only 3-2 in the natty

Offense is different than defense, because the defense is doing the chasing which takes more effort. Alabama's offense had no problem with OU in the Orange Bowl. I think they punted once? Maybe? However, even with a 28-0 lead, Alabama could never shake OU and cruise like they usually do in the semis (minus the Ohio State game).

You make a good point about the other 2 games though. I cannot argue with that. That being said, I still think playing OU in the semis is a different animal than playing any other team style wise - especially in Miami. Really only talking about Alabama and Clemson though, as they are fighting for the same spot to deal with the others.

Good luck to Clemson!

Hope they finish as the #1 seed and draw #4 seed OU (assuming the Sooners beat Iowa State in the Big Xii Championship Game) this year.

 

[78Cyclones]

OU had nothing to do with Clemson's loss to Bama in 2015. The biggest factor in our loss was shoddy special teams and the failure of our safeties in coverage and that was something that plagued us all of 2015.

That's fair!
I still like my hypothesis.
I hope Clemson draws OU (assuming the Sooners beat Iowa State in the Big Xii Championship Game) in the semis this year.

 

[cwalke3408]

That's fair!
I still like my hypothesis.
I hope Clemson draws OU (assuming the Sooners beat Iowa State in the Big Xii Championship Game) in the semis this year.

Sorry but I have Texas doing that this year

 

[Kaplony]

That's fair!
I still like my hypothesis.
I hope Clemson draws OU (assuming the Sooners beat Iowa State in the Big Xii Championship Game) in the semis this year.

If we can't have my fantasy (drubbing Bama again in the semis then drubbing UGAg in the finals) then I hope we get either the Sooners or Buckeyes again as well. The excuses are always entertaining.

 

[78Cyclones]

Sorry but I have Texas doing that this year

Texas @ Iowa State on Saturday, November 16th is going to be a barn burner!

 

[78Cyclones]

If we can't have my fantasy (drubbing Bama again in the semis then drubbing UGAg in the finals) then I hope we get either the Sooners or Buckeyes again as well. The excuses are always entertaining.

FWIW, there are no excuses between Alabama and Clemson. Just GREAT on GREAT and somebody has to lose. It is going to be very, very interesting watching Clemson and Alabama fight for the #1 spot this year - which will mean the Peach Bowl with #2 going to the Fiesta Bowl. Clemson has the edge at the moment and should hold on to it if they go undefeated. If they slip up though, the Tigers might be Arizona bound again.

 

[Kaplony]

FWIW, there are no excuses between Alabama and Clemson. Just GREAT on GREAT and somebody has to lose. It is going to be very, very interesting watching Clemson and Alabama fight for the #1 spot this year - which will mean the Peach Bowl with #2 going to the Fiesta Bowl. Clemson has the edge at the moment and should hold on to it if they go undefeated. If they slip up though, the Tigers might be Arizona bound again.

Meh, TBH I'm not as concerned about going back to Arizona. We've been in the playoffs four times. The times we didn't win the title we were the higher seed. The times we have won we were the lower seed.

 

[Bayou Tiger]

SEC grind? The SEC doesn't even play their own conference members for fvcks sake.

Shutup, stupid. Your team lost to an SEC school to start the fucking season. Did you forget?

 

[pachyderm]

I'm just glad 'Bama lost.

 

[78Cyclones]

Meh, TBH I'm not as concerned about going back to Arizona. We've been in the playoffs four times. The times we didn't win the title we were the higher seed. The times we have won we were the lower seed.

Oh, the team will be fine (unless they play Oklahoma!) lol I just meant the travelling fan base. Much easier for Clemson or Alabama fans to go to Atlanta than Arizona, especially if they plan on doing the double header in New Orleans too.

I have a theory about the seeding too. #4 is almost always a tougher team than #3 because #4 is a team that is really, really good but screwed up and just made it in by the hair on their chinny, chin, chin like Alabama in 2017 or Ohio State in 2014. I think the #3 seed is usually a team that over-achieved and gets exposed in the Playoff.

So many angles, not enough games!

 

[AlaskaGuy]

Shutup, stupid. Your team lost to an SEC school to start the fucking season. Did you forget?

Go getcha a fish you coonass motherfvcker.

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

That is a non-issue, as Alabama beat Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl, partly due to having a month to prepare for that game. As a matter of fact, they are 4-1 in the CFB Playoff Era in the Semi-Final Bowl Games losing to Ohio State (B1G) in the Sugar in 2014, beating Michigan State (B1G) in the Cotton in 2015, beating Washington (Pac-12) in the Peach in 2016, beating Clemson (ACC) in the Sugar in 2017 and beating Oklahoma (Big Xii) in the Orange in 2018. It's the turn-around National Championship Game against an even better foe that has been tougher for them (and other Championship Game participants) not the Regular Season to Bowl Game turn-around.

I find it particularly interesting that in the 5 Championship Games, the team that beat Oklahoma (0-3) and the team that played in the Outdoor Bowl Game (0-4) has struggled more in the Championship Game and lost the CFB CG. I think it is clear that playing a Semi Inside and avoiding Oklahoma in the Semis is more successful path to the National Championship. One or both of these factors negatively effected Oregon in 2014 (Semi in Rose Bowl), Clemson in 2015 (Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl), Georgia in 2017 (Oklahoma in the Rose) and Alabama in 2018 (Oklahoma in the Orange). 3 of those four faced the double whammy (Oklahoma Outdoors).

This could simply be a coincidence, as there are only 5 years of data so far, but I think it is intriguing. This year, both Semis will be inside (Peach and Fiesta), so avoiding OU in the Semi will be the key IMO!

Just my onion.

We've cracked the case! Oklahoma is the big factor here.

 

[Kaplony]

For the record, in the playoff era the ACC is 28-26 against the SEC.

The record of the top 8 teams in the ACC vs SEC competition is 28-20.

The record of the top 8 teams in the SEC vs ACC competition is 23-17.

Oh and Clemson's winning percentage vs the SEC is 77%, compared to Alabama's 67%.