Clemson starting defensive tackle Nyles Pinckney is expected to be limited at best for Monday night’s championship game of the College Football Playoff, coach Dabo Swinney said Sunday.
Pinckney, a fifth-year senior, suffered an injured left ankle in the Tigers’ 29-23 win over Ohio State in a semifinal game in the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 28.
“We’re hopeful,” Swinney said of Pinckney’s status in the final media availability before the title game against LSU in New Orleans. “But if he plays, he’ll be limited.”
Pinckney has started 13 of 14 games, making 27 tackles, including four for loss and a sack, earning third-team All-ACC honors. Clemson’s top backup in the interior of the defensive line is sophomore Jordan Williams, who has 31 tackles, with 5 1/2 for loss and 2 1/2 sacks.
No. 3 Clemson (14-0) will be going for back-to-back national titles and its 30th consecutive victory. No. 1 LSU (14-0) has the nation’s top scoring offense (48.9 points per game) and is seeking its first national championship since 2007.