Mario Cristobal’s new way met Dabo Swinney’s old approach — and one is clearly working better

Imagn Images The growing gap between No. 4 Miami and Clemson was on full display in a 41-13 Miami win that provided the clearest picture yet of the shifting power dynamic in the ACC. It also served as a referendum on two wildly different approaches to running a program in 2026. Dabo Swinney’s Clemson Tigers were once the unquestioned dominant force in ACC football, winning eight conference titles in 10 years from 2015-24 along with a pair of national titles. However, change can happen quickly in college football — especially in the transfer portal and NIL era — and in…