The weekend didn't get off to a great start for Dabo Swinney. His No. 2 Clemson team was stunned at Syracuse as the first of four top-10 teams to fall to an unranked team.

Things got a little better on his brief and rare trip to Tuscaloosa on Saturday afternoon. The previously scheduled plan to take part in the 1992 national championship reunion took on a new meaning after the loss.

"It was just great perspective for me," Swinney told reporters in Clemson on Monday. "It was kind of just what the doctor ordered. Just seeing my teammates and spending time (with them), and they did a great job of how they organized it. And then the other thing, there's six of us here that were a part of that. I just felt like with the way God worked it out, all of a sudden, we had a game on Friday night.

"For me, to have a Saturday is a rare thing. Probably the last time we'll be together as a group with coach. Coach just had a heart attack last week and when he said he was going, I really didn't have any excuse."

Coach, of course, was in reference to Gene Stallings. The 82-year old had suffered a major heart attack two weeks earlier but insisted on traveling from Texas to Alabama to celebrate the anniversary with his most memorable Crimson Tide team.

Swinney was a receiver at Alabama from 1990-92, earning a scholarship after arriving as a walk-on from Pelham.

"Of course (Stallings) was fussing at me, still being coach," Swinney said. "Said he didn't sleep all night. Said he got up at 3:00 eating grapes, still mad about the game. So, he was walking with a cane and it was tough to see him like that, but here he is, it meant that much to him to get there."

Swinney and a group of Clemson coaches/staffers who were also a part of Alabama's 1992 team flew to Tuscaloosa on Saturday afternoon. They were taken straight to Bryant-Denny Stadium. Swinney said they spent about 90 minutes in the lettermen room, just players and coaches. It was a special moment for all involved, he said.

The team was honored on the field before kickoff of Alabama's 41-9 win over Arkansas, but Swinney said they didn't see any of it. The Clemson delegation was back on the plane immediately following the pregame salute. They were back at work by the second quarter of the game back in Tuscaloosa.

How was Swinney received considering Clemson's national title win over his alma mater in January?

"I had a lot of them wanting to take pictures," Swinney said. "I told them none of them wanted to take pictures back in January so that just goes to show ya water under the bridge. A little forgiveness in people's heart. But they were great. The Alabama folks were very welcoming and I was appreciative of that. Just excited to get back going and get this team back on the right track."