PELHAM, Ala. (AP) — Two autographed photos of Clemson coach Dabo Swinney hang on a wall above the used stoves and plumbing hoses in Jason Miller's hardware store, even though this is the heart of Alabama football country.
Miller is pulling for the top-ranked Tigers against Alabama in Monday's title game even though he calls himself a "huge" Crimson Tide fan.
Miller is definitely in the minority among Tide fans in rooting for Clemson to beat coach Nick Saban's team, but he's hardly alone around here in being a big fan of Swinney, who attended high school in Birmingham's southern suburbs before going on to play at Alabama and then coach.