Clemson arrives in New Orleans before busy weekend, CFP title game vs LSU
Clemson has arrived in New Orleans ahead of Monday night’s national championship game, and the Tigers are a focused bunch as they attempt to win their second consecutive national title and their third in four years.
Clemson is back in New Orleans for the first time since losing to Alabama in the 2018 Sugar Bowl.
The Tigers will face an SEC team in New Orleans again this year as Clemson and LSU will meet in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome Monday night.
There are plenty of distractions in New Orleans — most notably Bourbon Street — and they might have gotten the better of Clemson two years ago in the 24-6 loss to Alabama. But players say that won’t happen this season.
“We weren’t really as focused as a team last time when we went down there,” senior linebacker Chad Smith said. “It’s up to the leaders to make sure that we set the tone before we head down there and let the young guys know, ‘Hey, we don’t need any distractions. Zero. None.’
“And there’s no tolerance for distractions. Everyone’s gotta be focused. Everyone’s gotta be ready to contribute when we get down there.”
Smith added that Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has addressed the team and explained that this is a business trip.
Bowl trips are often fun, but Clemson isn’t viewing this as a bowl trip. It has only one focus over the next few days.
“Coach Swinney has set a precedent in front of the team that hey, we had a bowl experience in Arizona. This is not a bowl experience. This is not like a bowl trip,” Smith explained. “This is for a national championship. He’s definitely let us know that the last time we were there we weren’t really focused. We don’t need any type of distractions because there will be no tolerance for that.”
When does Clemson play LSU?
Who: Clemson vs. LSU
When: 8 p.m. Monday
Location: Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans
TV channel: ESPN
Betting line: LSU by 5.5
This story was originally published January 10, 2020 at 5:06 PM with the headline "Clemson arrives in New Orleans before busy weekend, CFP title game vs LSU."
