CLEMSON — If you cannot be in the ACC Championship Game, then having someone who means so much to you in the title game is the next best thing.
Since 2009, no ACC team has played in or won the ACC Championship Game more than Clemson. The Tigers, all under head coach Dabo Swinney, have played in the league’s championship game 10 times and won it nine times.
In seven of those championships, Swinney had someone he thinks about like a son by his side. Tony Elliott, who played for Swinney at Clemson in 2003 when Swinney was Tommy Bowden’s wide receivers coach, helped the Tigers win all seven championships, one as the running backs coach and the other six as Swinney’s co-offensive coordinator.