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Clemson Football: The Evolution of Dabo Swinney

By Andrew Boardwine

Dec 31, 2015; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney celebrates after the 2015 CFP semifinal against Oklahoma Sooners at the Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium. Clemson won 37-17. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2015; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney celebrates after the 2015 CFP semifinal against Oklahoma Sooners at the Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium. Clemson won 37-17. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 31, 2015; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; The Clemson Tigers band performs prior to the 2015 CFP semifinal at the Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2015; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; The Clemson Tigers band performs prior to the 2015 CFP semifinal at the Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /

2013: Orange Bowl Champions

2013 saw quarterback Tajh Boyd return for his senior season even though he was projected as a solid second-round draft pick and some first-round by most services.

Clemson football started out the season ranked in the top-10 and many Tiger fans were thinking about a National Championship.

A win over Georgia to start the season had the Tigers rolling and inside the top-five just one week into the season.

This set up the biggest game in Tiger history since 1981. A showdown with the No. 5 ranked Florida State Seminoles.

Clemson came into the game ranked number-three and the winner of this game was expected to play for the National Championship. Unfortunately, the stage proved to be too big for the Tigers and they fell way short to the Jameis Winston-led Seminoles.

Dabo Swinney did not let the season end there, however. Clemson rebounded and won their last four before falling to in-state rival South Carolina for a fifth-straight year.

We began to hear the same talks as before from the talking heads when Clemson was matched-up with the Ohio State Buckeyes- who were just one game away from the National Championship- in the Orange Bowl.

Sammy Watkins and Tajh Boyd led the Tigers past the Buckeyes in impressive fashion and the fighting Urban Meyers fell short to the dominant Clemson team for the Tiger’s first ever BCS Bowl win.

This was yet another great feat for the program, taking yet another step in the right direction.

The Tigers finished the season ranked number-eight in the nation and it was clear that the Clemson brand was now becoming a national powerhouse with wins over LSU and Ohio State in the past two seasons.

Next: 2014: The Streak is broken

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