Four years ago, Dabo Swinney created a bit of a stir after his team fell short against Alabama.

It had been 34 years since Clemson played for a national championship. He guaranteed it wouldn't take nearly that long to get back.

"We'll be back. It's been 34 years since we had an opportunity. But it won't be 34 years before we get another opportunity and get back here."

This seemed at least a little audacious to some. Because while it didn't seem crazy to think Clemson could get back, the fact was that it did still seem a little crazy that Swinney's Tigers were there to begin with.

The 2015 season was tinged with a magical quality and the guts Clemson had to bring to outlast Notre Dame, Louisville and others.

The Tigers weren't yet considered a machine. They weren't yet considered a cold-blooded monster for which no moment was too big. It was viewed more as all the stars aligning to create one of those special seasons.

So there were some skeptics when Swinney also said this:

"We stand toe to toe with everybody in the country," he said after Alabama made a few more plays to clinch a 45-40 victory. "This program doesn't take a back seat to anybody."

Maybe that perspective is necessary as we're trying to process how to move on from what happened Monday night when Clemson met super doom in the Superdome. When the moment did seem too big for an offense that met and exceeded the moment a year earlier.