"I don't care": Clemson's Dabo Swinney reacts to Donald Trump attending the South Carolina game on Saturday
Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney displayed an air of nonchalance when questioned about former US President Donald Trump. The ex-POTUS is slated to attend the Clemson-South Carolina game.
President Trump, who is also a 2024 Republican candidate, is set to attend the 120th Palmetto Bowl at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia. The Clemson Tigers (7-4) are a 7.5-point road favorite against the South Carolina Gamecocks (5-6) in this highly anticipated rivalry game.
In a statement, during his weekly news conference, about Donald Trump’s presence at the game, Swinney said:
"I don't care who comes to the game. I just care about who's playing in the game. Unless (South Carolina coach Shane Beamer) is going to put him in and throw him a halfback pass or something. I ain’t worried about who’s at the game. I just want to win it."
Dabo Swinney is no stranger to President Donald Trump
Clemson and Dabo Swinney are no strangers to former President Trump. They visited the White House twice during the previous US President's tenure after securing national championships in 2016 and 2018.
The appearance of Donald Trump at the upcoming game aligns with his active involvement in the 2024 election campaign.
South Carolina coach Shane Beamer also commented on the attention the game is garnering.
"The fact that Donald Trump, Nikki Haley apparently, whoever else wants to come ... from a political realm, I think it’s a great statement that those people want to be at this game. There are a lot of eyes on this game."
The presence of Donald Trump at sporting events, as seen in his prior visit to an Iowa-Iowa State football game, is bound to draw attention. The specifics of his schedule for the Clemson-South Carolina game remain unknown for now.
Shane Beamer plans to repeat last year's results against Clemson
South Carolina coach Shane Beamer is reminiscing about last season's triumph over Clemson as he expressed eagerness to replicate the feat. However, the South Carolina coach knows that beating Clemson won’t be a straightforward task.
Beamer believes that the Gamecocks are ready for any challenge that Dabo Swinney throws in front of them.
“We know what a challenge it will be. I know Dabo said it a few weeks ago: better buy stock in Clemson right now, and I feel the same way about Gamecock football. The best days of Gamecock football are ahead of us and know this rivalry is going to continue to be great.”
Beamer knows that Clemson would be banking on their defensive prowess. He highlighted their dominant front seven while lauding linebackers Barrett Carter and Jeremiah Trotter as "lights out."
Even though South Carolina's passing offense ranks 15th nationally, they face a significant hurdle with their rushing game, positioned at 129th. As the much-anticipated clash approaches, Beamer knows the importance of both offensive and defensive strategies in securing a victory against a well-rounded Clemson team.