Dabo Swinney sat at the podium at the San Jose Marriott and chuckled.
Twelve hours earlier, he was celebrating a dominant performance by his Clemson team in the national championship game against Alabama, a performance that gave his program a second national championship in three years at the time.
“I know we are not supposed to be here,” he said on the field to ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi after the game. “We are just little ole Clemson and I am not supposed to be here, but we are and I am. How about them Tigers?