Clemson Football: Ranking all 11 seasons of the Dabo Swinney era

CLEMSON, SOUTH CAROLINA - AUGUST 29: Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers greets fans during the Tiger Walk prior to the game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Memorial Stadium on August 29, 2019 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Mike Comer/Getty Images) /

7 of 11

5. 2012 (Program-Defining Victory)

Record: 11-2

Notable Games:

49-37 loss at No. 4 Florida State
27-17 loss vs. No. 13 South Carolina
25-24 win vs. No. 9 LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl

The 2012 season has a special place in the hearts of Clemson football fans and that’s exactly why it ranks so high on this list.

The Tigers lost just two games in the regular season to two really good teams- Florida State and South Carolina- but the 10-2 record was not the reason that this season is so memorable. The reason this seasons ranks so high is because of one defining moment: The win over LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

Ask any Clemson football fan and they’ll tell you that victory was the turning point. It took the program to new heights and was the building block for what we would see just a few years later.

Perhaps this season shouldn’t be ranked ahead of a year where the Tigers made the CFB Playoff, but I just have a hard time putting it any lower because of the significance of what that win meant to the program in the long-run.

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