Dabo Swinney didn’t try to spin it. Clemson’s 24-21 loss to Georgia Tech was another gut punch in a season that has already tested the Tigers.
“A really painful and disappointing loss… that’s one that leaves a scar for sure,” Swinney admitted on his Sunday teleconference.
It was the second time in three weeks the Tigers had fallen on the game’s final play. Swinney’s frustration boiled down to a simple truth: Clemson is consistently one play short.
“We’ve had really two tough losses… both games have literally come down to the last play. We’ve got to find a way to make one more play.”
Missed Opportunities Pile Up
The head coach ticked off the moments that swung the game.
A turnover at the 8-yard line that wiped out a scoring chance.
A missed field goal.
A costly third-down drop deep in Georgia Tech territory.
A 90-yard fourth-quarter Yellow Jackets drive capped by a two-point conversion.
“Those are three scoring opportunities—one for them and two for us—that make a difference in the game,” Swinney said.
“One and Two, But Not Broken”
Despite the stumble, Swinney insisted Clemson’s season is far from lost.
“We’re one and two… but good news is we’ve got nine more left to show what we’re made of. Whether we were one and two or three and oh, nothing changes. We still have to go beat Syracuse.”
“I still believe in the greatness of our team. We’ve been here before. This program is built from adversity.”
Defensive Rotations Under Fire
Clemson has rotated heavily on the defensive line this year, hoping to keep players fresh. Critics wonder if the strategy is paying off. Swinney’s answer was blunt.
“Whatever we’re doing right now is not getting us the desired result, that’s for sure. Teams are possessing the ball too much… soft on the perimeter… not getting off on third down.”
Even against LSU earlier in the year, the Tigers got stops they needed but couldn’t capitalize. Against Georgia Tech, they simply couldn’t get the one stop that mattered.
Klubnik’s Turnovers Loom Large
Senior quarterback Cade Klubnik has turned the ball over in each of Clemson’s first three games, a troubling trend Swinney addressed head-on.
“He’s got to be more decisive… keep it high and tight. That was a helmet on the ball [against Georgia Tech].”
“A couple poor decisions… just got to get back dialed in in that area if we’re going to have a good opportunity this week.”
Offensive Progress Clouded by Mistakes
Statistically, Clemson’s offense looked more like itself on Saturday, rushing for 174 yards and allowing zero sacks. But the critical errors overshadowed the positives.
“We rushed for 174 yards… only two negative yards the whole game… no sacks… and we were 8-of-13 on third and fourth down,” Swinney said.
The turning point came on a missed deep route where Tyler Brown sat instead of splitting the safeties.
“Tyler got an MA on that… Cade is not wrong… middle field was wide open… huge missed opportunity.”
Moments later, Bryant Wesco Jr. dropped a first-down catch that could have sealed the win.
“As good as Wesco played, that’s one he’d like to have back.”
Taking Accountability
If Clemson’s mistakes are stacking up, Swinney made clear where the buck stops.
“Be a better head coach. I’m the leader of the program, so it all falls on me,” he said.
“We’re just a little bit short… Every single one of us has to find a way to improve.”
Handling Criticism and Noise
After the loss, a former player questioned Clemson’s toughness. Swinney’s response showed both respect and resolve.
“Everybody’s entitled to whatever opinion they want… We’ve got to be better. We’ve got to be tougher—tougher to make one more play.”
On the role of social media criticism in 2025, he added:
“Tell them how great they are—you try to get them not to listen. Tell them how bad they are—you try to get them not to listen. Feed the focus. Choose what you listen to.”
Silver Linings: Blocking, Uniforms, and Effort
Swinney praised wide receiver TJ Moore’s blocking effort on Bryant Wesco Jr.’s touchdown.
“That was a nice extra effort right there downfield… Big plays come when you have guys working hard to block on the second and third level.”
On the overturned Sap touchdown:
“It was close… they felt like he didn’t fully control it going out.”
And on the purple jerseys:
“Just a change… They were in white and we weren’t truly the home team.”
Looking Ahead
As Clemson turns toward Syracuse, Swinney framed the path forward simply: survive the noise, stack improvement, and get to 1–0 this week.
“Eyes are forward now… tough Syracuse team… find a way to win a game this week.”
“They give you 12 for a reason. Last time we were here was ’14—we rallied.”
Bottom line: Clemson’s problems are obvious—turnovers, missed assignments, late-game breakdowns. But in Swinney’s mind, the fix is just as clear: toughness, focus, and one more play.