Mark Stoops discusses his respect for Dabo Swinney ahead of Gator Bowl
Mark Stoops and Dabo Swinney have never met on the football field during either’s decade-plus long careers at their respective schools. Even so, Kentucky’s head coach has plenty of admiration for Clemson’s considering who he is and what he has done.
Stoops responded to a question regarding any connections between him and Swinney during his press conference this week. He said that, besides being generally acquainted, he isn’t very familiar with Swinney on a personal level.
“I know Dabo just from crossing paths. Not very well,” said Stoops.
Still, that doesn’t change the high regard he holds him in. As he continued, Stoops says it’s almost difficult to not feel like he knows Swinney because of how well-known he is in the sport for what he has accomplished with the Tigers.
“I have a lot of respect for him and what he has done,” said Stoops. “I wouldn’t say personally that well but you can’t help but feel like you know him. He has been on a big stage there for a long time. He has done very well.”
Clemson last came across Kentucky in the Music City Bowl in 2009. That was Swinney’s second season leading the program and four years before Stoops would take over in Lexington. In what was the final game of Rich Brooks’ career, the Tigers went on to win 21-13, their first bowl victory under Swinney, behind 125 total yards and a score from the ACC Player of the Year the bowl’s MVP in RB C.J. Spiller.
Since then, Clemson under Swinney and Kentucky under Stoops have gone on to do great things in their own respective senses. Now, one of them will secure their first win over the other when the Tigers and Wildcats meet in Jacksonville in the Gator Bowl later this month.
Stoops describes what it would mean for Kentucky to win the Gator Bowl
The result in the ACC Championship threw a wrench into the bowl picture for many mid-tier power conference teams. When all the dust settled on Sunday, Kentucky (a 7-5) ended up in the Gator Bowl playing Clemson (8-4).
Following the announcement of the Wildcats’ bowl berth, Mark Stoops explained what a terrific opportunity the program now has in front of them.
“It would be very important,” Stoops answered when asked what a win would mean. “Getting the invite to this bowl game and to play Clemson? It means a lot. It certainly does.”
“To play a team of the caliber of Clemsonand to try to go get a victory? We will invest a lot into it.”
The Tigers are a bit down this season. Still, Dabo Swinney’s program is still a recent two-time national title winner. A victory over such a powerhouse would be a nice feather in the cap for what’s also been an up and down year for Kentucky.