#9 Clemson is Overconfident
Dabo Swinney is an emotional guy, full of energy and passion. Football teams often mirror the personality of their coaches.
On Saturday night Clemson destroyed what was thought to be a very good Ohio State team. The Buckeyes were no match for Clemson. As the Tigers prepare for Monday, are they talking to each other about how much Ohio State was overrated? Not likely. Instead, they must be feeling Godzilla-like, ready to exorcise the demons of last year’s championship game loss.
Clemson also knows they shredded the Alabama defense last year, amassing 550 yards. DeShaun Watson has been performing at a high level during the last few games. The Clemson offensive players must believe they will match last year’s offensive production.
For players to be mentally prepared for competition, too much emotion can be debilitative. Intense emotion will not carry a team for hours of intense, mental and physical battle. Clemson’s emotions will be sky-high at kickoff and Dabo’s own natural exuberance may hinder him maintaining his team’s emotional equilibrium.