CLEMSON, S.C. -- Less than 12 hours had passed since Dabo Swinney and his team arrived home following a second straight ACC title. Less than two hours had gone by since Clemson was officially included in the 2016 College Football Playoff. Swinney had just addressed a small crowd during halftime of a Clemson basketball game, and he was about to turn his attention to recruiting and bowl prep.
But first, he was asked about Ohio State, Clemson's opponent in the first round of the playoff and, at the moment of the announcement, the three-point favorite.
"We're underdogs already?