CLEMSON | From 2016 to 2019, Clemson did its part in early-season showdowns with the SEC.

The Tigers were 4-0 in home-and-home arrangements with Auburn and Texas A&M, and that included harrowing late-game escapes of Jordan-Hare Stadium in 2016 and Kyle Field in 2018.

In addition to being vital to Clemson's national-title runs both of those years, the four overall wins against the SEC were good for the ACC as it fought the perception that it's a football lightweight.

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That perception is more pervasive now than ever after a season that not even Dabo Swinney can successfully spin as impressive outside of his team's yearly trip to the College Football Playoff.