CLEMSON, S.C. -- In the aftermath of an ACC championship, as confetti showered the field and his teammates donned T-shirts and hats proclaiming their title, Deshaun Watson did something utterly out of character. He celebrated.

Not only did he openly showcase his emotions, the Clemson quarterback also appeared to -- for just a moment -- embrace the hype that has surrounded him all season, striking a Heisman pose to the cheers of teammates and fans. Sure, he’d acknowledged that winning the trophy would be nice, but this -- during a 13-0 season filled with accolades -- was the closest thing Watson did to campaigning for it.

Turns out, Watson said a day later, it was largely done on a dare by his coach.

“He did it, and I did it a little bit, but we were just kind of celebrating,” Watson said. “There was no meaning behind it.”

And, of course, Watson didn’t win that trophy. No matter. He hasn’t seemed to let much of anything bother him this year.

Even in New York, a trip his mother made for the first time in her life, he was calm, cool and collected, and maybe even a little bored. This was a celebration of Watson, and that’s not within his comfort zone.

“I try to pull it out of him,” Tigers coach Dabo Swinney said of Watson’s seeming lack of enthusiasm. “I’m like, ‘Come on, let’s go. This is the Heisman.’ And he’s just like, ‘Yeah, OK.’”

In fact, to hear Swinney tell it, Watson couldn’t wait to depart New York and get back to work at Clemson. There is a trophy he’s interested in, but it’ll require two more victories before he can get his hands on it.

In the meantime, it’s nearly all business for the sophomore from Gainesville, Georgia. There were finals, and there are preparations for facing Oklahoma on Dec. 31 in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl , and there’s time with family. Watson is enjoying the ride, to be sure, and he’s as happy to be 13-0 as anyone on Clemson’s roster. You just wouldn’t know it from a casual interaction with him.

You can tell he’s enjoying it by looking at the smile on his face,” center Jay Guillermo said, “but he’s not the most outspoken person ever.”

Indeed, Watson might be the least quotable QB in the nation. Sure, this journey for Clemson has been a long time coming, and Tigers fans are amped about the possibility of a championship. But Watson’s been through this before.

Back in Gainesville, Watson was the biggest fish in a small pond. He led his high school to a state title as a junior, a win that resonates like the moon landing in his hometown. He’s used to having a camera in his face and fans asking for autographs, and it’s not that he doesn’t appreciate the love, but he’s not going to let it rattle him.

Ask him how he played after a big game, and he’s humble and deflects the praise.

Ask him about his knee, which has stayed healthy all season despite so many worries from fans and media, and he’ll offer a brief “I told you so” before changing the topic.

Ask him about the Heisman or the possibility of a championship or a future that’s undeniably bright, and he’ll give the clichéd “one game at a time” response.

These are all as practiced as reading a defense.

“I’m pretty used to it. It’s just a bigger stage,” Watson said. “The awards are great and all, but at the end of the day, I want to win games. That’s my biggest thing. My biggest award is winning a national championship and trying to go undefeated.”

Sure, Watson will dance after a big win, right along with his coach and his teammates, even if, as Guillermo said, “he’s not a very good dancer.” But the other stuff only serves to set Watson apart, to define him as the star of the show. He’s not interested in that. He wants to be a part of something bigger than himself.

Swinney was eager to get home from New York, too. The Heisman presentation was the end of a week-long odyssey that took him through stops in more than a half-dozen states, from a championship victory to a massive pizza party to the Heisman festivities. Those were moments to savor, but not ones worthy of distraction.

That’s what Swinney loves about his signal-caller. Watson knows how special this all is, wants to enjoy the moments as they happen. Then he moves on, looks ahead to the next challenge, and he’s all in. That's how he is on the field, that's how he is off it.

“He’s special,” Swinney said. “He’s just a chill guy. That’s just who he is. But he’s a relentless competitor and a relentless preparer. He’s as big a grinder as you’ll ever meet.”