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College Football Bowls 2016: 10 best big game head coaches

By John Buhler

Nov 5, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban yells from the sideline after a penalty during the second quarter of a game against the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 5, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban yells from the sideline after a penalty during the second quarter of a game against the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 3, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the second half of the ACC Championship college football game at Camping World Stadium. Clemson Tigers defeated the Virginia Tech Hokies 42-35. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 3, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the second half of the ACC Championship college football game at Camping World Stadium. Clemson Tigers defeated the Virginia Tech Hokies 42-35. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

Getting lost in the category of elite college football head coaches is the Clemson Tigers’ Dabo Swinney. Swinney has been outstanding in turning Clemson into an ACC juggernaut. Before he became the full-time head coach in 2008, Clemson was a so-so program in the ACC. Now, it’s a top-five team annually.

Since becoming the interim head coach of Clemson in 2007, Swinney has gone 87-28 overall, 54-15 in the ACC, and has won the ACC five times. Keep in mind that he has done this with the other major ACC power Florida State being in the same ACC Atlantic division.

Swinney has his Tigers in the College Football Playoff for the second straight season. The 2015 Tigers finished as the national runner-up with a 14-1 campaign. Clemson will play the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Fiesta Bowl in the 2017 College Football Playoff.

While it hasn’t happened yet, Swinney has built one of the best programs in college football at Clemson and will win a national title there. He is one of only four head coaches that can win the College Football Playoff. His 2016 Clemson team isn’t as dominant as it was the year before, but Swinney is the most underrated elite college football head coach in the Power 5.

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