Dabo Swinney won't be ranking Ohio State No. 11 this year – or anywhere else, for that matter.
The Clemson coach has decided not to participate in the coaches poll this year after the backlash he received for ranking Ohio State No. 11 ahead of the College Football Playoff last season, where his team lost 49-28 to that No. 11 team in the country.
Dabo Swinney says he opted out of the coaches poll this year over what happened voting Ohio State where he did last year. "That was just a distraction for my team .. It doesn't matter anyway. Who cares."
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) November 16, 2021
Heres the full quote from Dabo Swinney on not voting in the coaches poll this year. It was in response to a question about Clemson not receiving top 25 votes. Swinney said he thinks Clemson should be getting consideration as a top-25 team: pic.twitter.com/tMtJcKWHEW
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) November 16, 2021
Swinney claims that it was "a distraction for my team" and that it "doesn't matter anyway," which is an odd stance after passionately defending his ranking for weeks leading up to the College Football Playoff game and saying "I don't regret any of that" in the press conference immediately following.
But it seems the backlash got to him and his team, and he's got nobody to blame for that but himself.
Actions have consequences, Dabo!
Source: @Jon_Blau
