CLEMSON | Even when he and his program were considered small potatoes, Dabo Swinney was talking big.

"I'm not interested in being second," he said. "I'm not interested in just winning this conference. I'm interested in being the very best that there is in college football."

This didn't come after a landmark win over LSU in 2012, or a statement-making win over Ohio State a year later.

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It came with Clemson's program barely a month removed from a no-account loss to South Florida in a no-account bowl, which was a month removed from a Death Valley beatdown at the hands of South Carolina.

Swinney wanted to move on from the anguish of a 6-7 mark in his second full season as head coach, and a stellar 2011 recruiting class gave reason for those on the outside to take notice.