Joe Kinsey
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If you thought Dabo Swinney would chill with the Ohio State coaches poll storyline, you were mistaken. Not only is Dabo not done talking about Ohio State’s six-game schedule, at this point it seems as if Dabo is enjoying the questions that keep coming his way about how 2020 played out as the Buckeyes found their way into the Final Four.
“I just don’t think it’s right that three teams have to play 13 games to be the champion, and one team has to play eight,” Dabo said Monday morning during his media availability. “It has zero to do with Ohio State,” Dabo added.
The last part is definitely debatable. It’s no secret that Dabo enjoys a couple of things in life: destroying Ohio State on and off the field.
“It’s a big deal because we are having to play them,” Dabo said Monday. “As I said earlier, there is no question Ohio State is good enough to beat us, any of us, to be a national champion. I didn’t rank anybody that didn’t play nine games or more in the top 10. That’s why they were 11. It had nothing to do — I mean, I have all the respect in the world for Ohio State. I think the world of Ryan Day. They are a wonderful program. We recruit against them because I think we have a lot of similarities.”
When asked if he figured his ballot would be made public, Dabo reminded reporters he’s no dummy.
“Absolutely. You don’t think I don’t know it won’t be made public? What’s right is right. I could probably run for governor in Michigan and have a good chance. Not too popular in Ohio. I wasn’t going to change that to be politically correct and try to appease people. It is what it is.”
Clemson and Ohio State play Friday night in the Sugar Bowl. Kickoff is at 8 ET.
Here’s Dabo’s final ballot of 2020 in the coaches poll:
1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Notre Dame
4. Texas A&M
5. Florida
6. Georgia
7. Cincinnati
8. Oklahoma
9. Iowa State
10. Coastal Carolina
11. Ohio State
12. North Carolina
Dabo on voting Ohio State No. 11 in Coaches Poll.
"I just don’t think it’s right that three teams have to play 13 games to be the champion and one team has to play eight."
And…
"It has zero to do with Ohio State."— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 28, 2020
Dabo isn’t wrong. It’s the ongoing debate of best versus most deserving. OhSt is certainly one of the 4 best but not necessarily most deserving. Dabo seems to err on the deserving side
Ohio State and ND are only in for the money aspect for TV neither deserve to be in the playoff. Ohio State didn’t play anyone and weren’t as spectacular as the media would lead you to believe against the mighty Northwestern Wildcats. Notre Dame got blown out against Clemson yet they get a shot to play against Bama? To me the playoff is worse than the BCS system that it was supposed to improve upon. This joke of a playoff should hopefully lead to some sort of expansion or revamping of the system. Until they fix it we are going to have the same rotation of teams that we have seen since the start (minus the PAC 12 champs and FSU).
I hope Ohio State loses by 40.