You cannot win every game at once. However, if you take each game one day at a time, it has a great chance of working out for you. That is how Dabo Swinney seems to be approaching Clemson's easy second-half schedule coming out of the bye week. Clemson is 3-2 on the season and 2-1 in ACC play. They may not face a ranked team the rest of the way, but Swinney is thrilled to still be in the mix.
"Around this time last year, we weren't in the mix. Right now we're in it," Swinney said about Clemson's schedule going forward. "It's not about who we play, it's about how we play. I wanna see us apply what we've learned these first five ball games. We've gotta play complementary football ... We wanna be in the mix in November. That's everybody's goal. Where we are right now, we've got an opportunity."
With seven games left, Clemson has a great shot at winning eight, nine, or even 10 games this year. It may come down to how well the Tigers play versus Virginia Tech in two weeks, on the road at Duke during the penultimate week of the year, and at home versus arch rival South Carolina in the Palmetto Bowl. While anything less than 8-4 should not be tolerated, the goal needs to be getting to nine wins.
Dabo: "We wanna be in the mix in November. That's everybody's goal. Where we are right now, we've got an opportunity." Clemson was 3-4 and 2-3 in the ACC when it reached its off week last year and basically eliminated from all CFP/ACC title game discussion https://t.co/zzbrBFjUVd
— Chapel Fowler (@chapelfowler) October 13, 2026
Clemson has the schedule to be even better on defense in the second half
Swinney came out of the bye week feeling somewhat unencumbered during his meeting with the media on Monday evening. He mentioned that he and his wife stayed at home, relaxed, and watched a bunch of football. Good for him to get the rest he needs. Frankly, there is no margin for error left for Clemson this year. The Tigers will need to be perfect, or near enough, to achieve all that they can.
Again, they may not play a ranked team the rest of the way. All eyes are on Duke going forward in that regard. If Clemson and Duke are both 8-2 heading into that late November Friday night kick, chances are one or both of them will be ranked. Thankfully, the Tigers' two hardest games of the year are firmly behind them: at LSU and at home versus Miami. Both were beatdowns, but also learning moments.
Swinney also mentioned that this is still a relatively young team. Only Jeremiah Alexander and Jahiem Lawson are exhausting their final years of eligibility this fall. Yes, players like Sammy Brown, Ashton Hampton, and Will Heldt could, and probably will, turn pro early. Simply, Tom Allen's side of the football could be playing with much more confidence in the second half, going up against lesser competition.
In the end, we have to appreciate Swinney's approach to the matter. He seems to be taking it one day at a time, and not overly fazed about what happened to his team early on. Swinney knows Clemson's season is not yet over. Frankly, it may only be just beginning. Football is a sport where you are allowed to improve as the season goes along. This is exactly what this team needs moving forward into 2027.
Clemson has the runway to show everyone it can end up being one of the better teams in the ACC.
Add us as a preferred source on Google