There’s so much noise in the college football system these days, so much “loud, annoying and inarticulate” claptrap, it’s easy to miss it when someone says something truly noteworthy.

We interrupt this column for a noteworthy shout-out. In his latest thoughtful blog post, my old boss Tom Arenberg used the phrase above in quotes to describe rodeo clown Pat McAfee. Spot on as usual, Tom.

The opposite of loud, annoying and inarticulate would be quiet, refreshing and insightful. College football media days aren’t famous for public displays of subtle erudition, but Dabo Swinney authored such an upset last week at the ACC gabfest.

Going into his 17th full season at Clemson, coming off a surprising playoff appearance, Swinney has constructed a team that looks capable of winning his third national championship. The first question directed at the winningest coach in ACC history referenced the program’s “perennial expectation of national championship or bust.”

At Alabama, Swinney played in and coached as an assistant at such a program. At Clemson, he’s built one so the question didn’t come out of left field. He started his response this way: “Well, I think we’ve earned that through consistency.”

He then supported his thesis with an amazing true fact that had escaped me and, I suspect, a large majority of college football observers. Last season’s 10-4 finish meant that Swinney and Clemson have won nine or more games for 14 straight years (and only once in that run did they fail to reach 10 wins).

As he pointed out, only three other programs in major college football history can say the same: Nebraska under Tom Osborne, Florida State under Bobby Bowden and Alabama under Nick Saban. That’s it. That’s the exclusive, extraordinary list.

“We’re not perfect,” Swinney said, “but we’re incredibly consistent.”

For the record, Nebraska won at least nine games in every one of Osborne’s 25 seasons. FSU under Bowden won at least 10 games for 14 straight seasons. Saban and Alabama reached 10 wins for 16 straight years.

That’s the kind of elite company Swinney has reached. Consider what he and Clemson accomplished last season. He passed Bowden for the most career victories by an ACC coach and did it at FSU on Bobby Bowden Field. When Clemson walked off SMU with a game-winning field goal, Swinney earned his ninth ACC title and improved to 9-1 in the ACC Championship Game.

How many SEC titles did Saban win at Alabama? Nine. What was his record in the SEC Championship Game with the Crimson Tide? 9-1.

Saban went 25-8 in postseason games at Alabama. Swinney is 21-10 in those pressure-cookers. Only two coaches beat Saban and Alabama twice in the postseason: Swinney and Urban Meyer.

If Clemson wins at least 16 games over the next three seasons, a remarkably low bar, Swinney will pass Osborne, Saban, Bob Stoops, Meyer, Joe Paterno and LaVell Edwards for the most wins by a major college football coach in his first 20 years. More likely, Swinney will hurdle those giants on that list sometime in 2026.

Did we mention that he’s only 55 years old?

You are welcome to downplay the numbers, as people did during and after Bowden’s stellar career, because Swinney has climbed this mountain through the ACC. No, it’s not the SEC, despite the company line pushed by the likes of Rhett Lashlee.

You also are welcome to notice that Clemson has won at least one postseason game – conference championship, playoff or bowl – for 14 straight years, something no other program has done. Ever. Among those victims: Ohio State three times, Alabama, Oklahoma and Notre Dame twice each and LSU.

At the moment, Swinney is one of three active coaches who’s won a national championship along with Kirby Smart and Ryan Day. Swinney and Smart are the only ones with two big rings, and they’re engaged in another, more mythical competition.

Who’s the best former Alabama assistant turned head coach? With 180 career victories, nine conference championships and two national titles, it has to be Swinney. He tutored under Gene Stallings and learned his lessons well.

Don’t be surprised if, come December, Swinney has Clemson back in the playoff hunt for another banner. He didn’t make a lot of noise at ACC Media Days, but though Pelham’s favorite son can be loud and annoying when the mood strikes, he did articulate some facts about his program that spoke volumes.

As did this compliment from another ACC coach: “We’re all learning from Dabo.”

Who said that? North Carolina coach Bill Belichick.