Two thousand five hundred and ninety-four miles separate Clemson, South Carolina, and Oakland, California.
The gap between the Raiders and Dabo Swinney's Tigers feels even larger.
Since Swinney had the interim head coach title lifted at the end of the 2008 season, he has transformed Clemson into college football royalty. Since 2009. Clemson is 112-27. The Tigers have won seven ACC Atlantic Division titles, five conference championships and two national titles in that span.
Swinney is an ace recruiter, yes. But the growth of the program from college football punch line to standard-setter comes from the culture Swinney has created, nurtured and grown in Death Valley.