Even with all the opt-outs, transfers, lack of credibility, and arguably integrity to the college football post-season the games must go on. They still will be in the record books and for some coaches and programs, they are more important than others.
Which three ACC football coaches need a bowl win the most? This is in no particular order.
Dabo Swinney, Clemson
In a game that matches up two of the most disappointing teams in the country, Dabo Swinney really needs this victory. Clemson won their final 4 games, including beating arch-rival South Carolina to save the season from imploding. QB Cade Klubnik will be gone, as will be a slew of NFL picks. This was the year Clemson was supposed to return to the upper echelon of college football. To his credit, Swinney salvaged something out of November, but lose to a Penn State team with an ever higher level of disappointment and an interim coach, and Swinney will spend a lot of the off-season answering questions about how he’s going to fix things. That still probably happens, but it’s easier to do off a 5-game winning streak than a 7-6 season.
Brent Key, Georgia Tech
Brent Key has done a wonderful job rebuilding Georgia Tech from the ashes of the Geoff Collins era, but there are things missing from his resume through 3 years. There are no wins over Georgia, there are no appearances in the ACCCG, there are no ranked finishes, and there are no 10 win seasons. Is there a signature OOC win? In a position to get to Charlotte and a possible playoff bid, Georgia Tech collapsed in November after starting the year 8-0. A 9-4 finish would still be a fine season, but it would feel like a disappointment, especially with QB Haynes King, OC Buster Faulkner, and a ton of seniors either leaving or soon to be gone. A 10-win season and victory over a good BYU team would go down as one of the better Georgia Tech seasons in the last 50 years. In November, each big moment was too big for Georgia Tech. This is a chance to change the narrative of a season from missed opportunity to one of a truly special one.
Dave Doeren, NCState
It feels we could put Dave Doeren here every year. NC State hasn’t won a bowl game since 2017. and last year went 6-7. Doeren will return next year, but NC State fans’ patience is really wearing thin. When Duke wins an ACC Title in year 2 of Manny Diaz’s tenure, that creates a lot of pressure on a coach like Doeren, who has been at NC State for 13 years.
Doeren really needs to show the program might have a chance to move forward, and a bowl win over Memphis could create some positive momentum going into the off-season as winners of 4 of their last 5 games for an 8-5 season. Lose, and the same questions that surround the NC State program seemingly every year about whether the program’s progress will be ramped up.
