GREENSBORO, N.C. — Earlier this month at an event in Baltimore, Maryland football coach Randy Edsall told fans just how excited he is to play in the Big Ten.

“As a football coach, I feel better,” he said. “Because I’m going to a football conference. I’m not in a basketball conference anymore.”

Later he continued: “With all due respect, but you’re in a conference with Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, you know those teams. I mean yeah we’ve got work to do, but if you’re a competitor that’s what you want. And that’s what our players are working our tails off — to be able to prove people wrong. Because there are some people who don’t think we can compete, that we can win.”

Well at ACC media days on Monday, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney was asked about Edsall’s comments.

“We just beat Ohio State,” he said, smiling. “Aren’t they in that conference?”

Clemson beat Ohio State in the Orange Bowl last season, and Florida State won the national championship.

“It’s (the ACC) a league on the rise that doesn’t take a backseat to anybody,” Swinney said.