Sports

With all due respect, Clemson will prevail

DABO Swinney hasn’t even been on the job a year, and already he has perfected the art of coachspeak.

He’s doing just fine in a few other categories, as well. Like wins.

Swinney — who took over for Tommy Bowden at Clemson last October — saved last season after a dreadful start, leading the Tigers to the Gator Bowl and a 7-6 finish. And now, at 2-1 heading into Saturday’s home tilt vs. No. 15 TCU (2-0), he has a chance to make a national statement, an opportunity to overthrow a ranked team in Death Valley and pronounce Clemson officially “back.”

Just don’t expect him to say that out loud.

“We have a big opportunity with TCU,” Swinney said this week, just before unleashing a coaching cliché trifecta: “Just looking at these guys, they are . . .

1. a really good football team;

2. outstanding in every phase of the game;

3. very well coached.”

Wow. Stop him, if you’ve heard those lines before.

But, in all seriousness, Swinney is not on the job to talk a big game. He’s there to coach them. He’s on board to extract the always-talented Tigers out of the clouds of mediocrity that surrounded the Bowden Era and push them to the elite level of the ACC, a league that always could use an elite team.

“We have a team that is playing with great effort on both sides,” Swinney said, and yeah, there he goes again. “We have not always had great execution, but great effort, and that gives you a chance to win every single day.”

We think one of those days will be Saturday. We like our chances when a lower-ranked or an unranked home team is laying points against a Top 25 team, like Miami was last week, when the Hurricanes toppled Georgia Tech.

And we’re not sold on the Mountain West Conference and its Big Three BCS Busters, especially after last week, when BYU and Utah lost. TCU might be better than both of them, but Death Valley, all-everything running back C.J. Spiller, and a motivational speech from Swinney, might just do the trick.

“A game like this is probably going to come down to turnovers, field position and special teams,” Swinney said. “I am looking forward to it.”

There are about 120 coaches in the country who couldn’t have said it any better, Dabo. So, we won’t try either. Clemson (-2½) is the pick.

TONIGHT

Ole Miss (-3½) over SOUTH CAROLINA: We love home teams on Thursdays, as you know. But the Rebels have too many lofty goals to lose this early in the season.

SATURDAY

South Florida (+14½) over FLORIDA STATE: Matt Grothe or no Matt Grothe, the Bulls have been waiting for this game a long time. Something tells us their defense will show up.

MISSISSIPPI STATE (+13) over Louisiana State: Early kick in Starkville should favor the underdog. And new coach Dan Mullen had success vs. LSU while at Florida.

Wake Forest (pick) over BOSTON COLLEGE: The Deacons have more experience and more incentive against a team that had 55 total yards last week.

Illinois (+14) over OHIO STATE: Danger zone with a bad defense. But we’ll take the double digits and an Illini team that usually hangs around vs. the Bucks.

Rutgers (-2½) over MARYLAND: The Big East has impressed on the road — UConn won at Baylor, and Cincinnati won at Oregon State. This one could be another league statement, as the Terps are a mess.

ALABAMA (-17½) over Arkansas: The Crimson Tide aren’t known for hitting big numbers at home traditionally, but the Nick Saban Era has been different, and Alabama is now healthy. What’s more, did anyone see the Razors’ defense give up 52 last week to Georgia?

OREGON (+5½) over Cal: The Ducks’ early-season problems notwithstanding, the Pac-10 is still up for grabs, they still have a pretty tough stadium to play in, and let’s face it, Minnesota had the Golden Bears on the ropes last week.

Pitt (+1) over N.C. STATE: Like Rutgers, Pitt, the preseason pick to win the Big East, easily has the talent to make another road statement for the beleaguered conference.

VIRGINIA TECH (+2½) over Miami: Far too much love for the Hurricanes. We’ve ridden Miami twice this season, and cashed in, but we’re getting off while the getting is good.

Florida (-21½) over KENTUCKY: We’ll truly see if the Gators want to wake up. The Lane Kiffin talk has subsided. The flu talk has subsided. Let’s see what they’re made of.

GEORGIA (-11½) over Arizona State: The Sun Devils have a long trip, and are a bit of an unknown, as they’ve yet to play anyone of significance.

PENN STATE (-10) over Iowa: No one is more due for a cover than the Lions, 0-3 against the number. But this is tailor-made: A night game, a “White Out,” and “pure” revenge against the team that ruined last season.

Notre Dame (-7) over PURDUE: The Irish can score with anyone, and should be able to control clock against a team that gave up chunks of yardage to Northern Illinois.

OFF THE GRID

BYU (-16½) over Colorado State: The Cougars get off the mat after the disgrace vs. Florida State.

Boise State (-17) over BOWLING GREEN: The Broncos continue to hit big numbers as they eye that BCS bid.

NEBRASKA (-27½) over Louisiana Lafayette: The Virginia Tech loss still stings. The ‘Huskers need to vent.

Last week: 6-8-1 Overall; 1-2 Best Bets; 2-2 Off The Grid. Season: 18-26-1; 2-7; 5-4.

tsullivan@nypost.com