Bob Stoops, Dabo Swinney have something to prove in the 2015 Orange Bowl

Clemson is undefeated, ranked No. 1 in the nation, and still a 3.5-point underdog against No. 4 Oklahoma. It’s become clear that the only way for Dabo Swinney to vaporize the myth of “Clemsoning” is to win a national title.

The Tigers have cleared every hurdle in Swinney’s finest season in Death Valley. They have beaten six different bowl-eligible teams in 2015, including a pair of New Years Six competitors in No. 8 Notre Dame and No. 9 Florida State. They’ve won 10 games or more in each of the last five years. They’ve emerged victorious in their last three bowl appearances.

That leaves the coach and his Tigers in search of more than just a berth in the National Championship Game at the 2015 Orange Bowl. Their battle is for validation. A win on Thursday over a traditional college football powerhouse like Oklahoma would cement Clemson’s place at the top of the FBS pecking order and lock Swinney in as one of the country’s elite college football coaches.

He’ll have to get past a head coach who is looking to prove that he still has the magic that won a national title back in 2000. Bob Stoops doesn’t have to deal with the same stigma that Swinney and the Tigers do thanks to his position at rarely underrated Oklahoma. The Sooners’ longtime coach is no stranger to double-digit win seasons and bowl appearances. But while his team has been successful, it hasn’t been the same intimidating program it was at the turn of the millennium. He hasn’t led OU to a top four finish since 2004.

Both coaches are known for their offenses. Swinney’s recent success turned the Tigers from a middling scorer to one of the nation’s most explosive teams in recent years. Stoops has been even more consistent; he hasn’t fielded a scoring offense that fell outside the FBS’ top 50 since 2005.

In 2015, that success started behind center. At least according to the Heisman voters, Stoops and Swinney will have the nation’s top two quarterbacks at their disposal on Thursday. Clemson’s Deshaun Watson finished third in this year’s Heisman voting while Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield finished fourth. Each helms a high-powered offense behind a combination of big-armed passing plays and elusive runs. Together, the two QBs have combined for more than 8,000 total yards and 83 touchdowns.

However, the most interesting current behind the Orange Bowl could come down to the defensive side of the ball. Defensive coordinator Brent Venables has crafted the Tigers into a top 25 unit in each of the past three seasons. Prior to reforming Clemson under Swinney’s watch, he spent eight years roaming the sideline at Oklahoma. A look at average yards allowed per game showcases just how significant that move has been for Clemson; after a lull in Venables’ first year in Death Valley, he has molded his defense into one of the best in the nation while OU’s unit has had to settle for only “above average” in its strongest years since.

While Venables may be the catalyst that boosts Swinney into the coaching stratosphere, Stoops has made changes of his own to restore the Sooners to glory. He installed East Carolina’s Lincoln Riley as offensive coordinator to bring the Air Raid offense back to Norman. That system clicked with former Texas Tech walk-on Mayfield and allowed Oklahoma to win a shootout against anyone (except 5-7 Texas, somehow). Though the OU defense hasn’t been perfect, the addition of defensive backs coach Kerry Cooks and a more personnel-friendly defensive scheme has helped shore up the weaknesses that left the Sooners vulnerable against opposing passing attacks last fall.