CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has long talked of the inequality of teams who play double-digit games during this pandemic affected season vs. those with shorter schedules.
He applied that reasoning when he voted in the final Amway Coaches’ rankings, placing the Buckeyes, who take on the Tigers’ in a College Football Playoff semifinal Jan. 1, at No. 11.
Ohio State (6-0) was seeded No. 3 by the playoff selection committee. Clemson is the second seed.
Swinney had Texas A&M fourth in his rankings, behind Alabama, Clemson and Notre Dame.
He had two-loss teams like Georgia and Oklahoma and 11-0 Coastal Carolina ahead of the Buckeyes.
Georgia’s Kirbry Smart was the only other voter among 61 coaches to have Ohio State outside the top four at No. 5.