Dabo Swinney opened his press conference shaking his head at the bizarre circumstances surrounding the Tigers’ win. Between weather delays, early mistakes, and a hostile scoreboard, the veteran coach said his players were tested.
“Man, what a weird day. I mean, just a crazy day,” Swinney said. “First of all, appreciate our fans for hanging in there. Everything that could go wrong was going wrong. You can’t spot a team like that two touchdowns, and that’s what we did. But I’m proud of our team.”
Klubnik’s Response After Criticism
The biggest storyline was how quarterback Cade Klubnik bounced back after a brutal week of criticism and an early pick-six against Troy. Swinney defended his QB’s toughness.
“He’s been just crucified all week. Very disappointing last week, didn’t play well. And now, you step into this game and boom, pick-six,” Swinney said. “But the very next drive, he goes right back out there and takes us to Wesco. What a throw, what a gutsy drive. That’s what champions do.”
Swinney said he never doubted his quarterback’s makeup:
“It shines you up or it grinds you up. It’s all about what you’re made of. I know what that kid’s made of, and you saw that tonight.”
Five Straight Scoring Drives
After spotting Troy a 16–3 lead, Clemson ripped off 27 unanswered points, capped by a grinding four-and-a-half-minute drive to seal it.
“They went five straight scoring drives, 27 unanswered after that pick-six,” Swinney said. “That’s what resilience looks like. That’s what courage looks like. That’s what toughness looks like. And to finish with a four-and-a-half-minute drive where they can’t get the ball back? That was awesome.”
Adam Randall Carries the Load
Running back Adam Randall was the offensive spark, rushing for 112 yards and totaling 165 all-purpose. His fourth-down conversion highlighted a gutsy effort.
“What a gutsy game for him,” Swinney said. “He gets fourth-and-two, picks up the first down, 21 carries, 112 yards, 165 all-purpose. I was really proud of Adam. He made some tough, tough runs and carried the team on his back.”
Wesco, Defense Shine in Support
Receiver Bryant Wesco put up 118 yards and two touchdowns, while the defense recorded timely sacks and three interceptions.
“Wesco, big game, 118 yards. Cade 18-for-29, 196 yards and two touchdowns,” Swinney said. “Defensively, the biggest thing was the sacks. We had some really timely sacks that stopped drives. To pick that quarterback off three times? That was huge.”
Swinney praised Ricardo, Ashton, and Avion for creating turnovers:
“Good things happen when you get to the ball. Ashton had a great pick. Ricardo’s always around it. Avion with the fake stop. Just really proud of those guys.”
Weather Delay: Treat It Like Pregame
Swinney explained how Clemson handled the unusual first-quarter weather delay.
“They quickly told us it looked like it was going to be 5:15, that’s an hour plus. So we just treated it like pregame. Hydrate, snacks, music, reset,” Swinney said. “We stretched in the locker room, regrouped offense, defense, position groups. Then when they gave us the 15-minute warning, we stretched again and got back out there. Just a weird day.”
Special Teams and Unsung Heroes
Swinney highlighted several under-the-radar plays that flipped momentum.
“The execution of the deep onside was a big play in the game. Rob Gunn did a great job. Adam had a 30-yard kickoff return. Jack Smith averaged 45 yards punting. Those hidden yards matter.”
A Statement About Team Character
Asked about boos from the home crowd after the pick-six, Swinney didn’t flinch.
“Hey, we gotta play better. This is a place that cares. You hear that because they expect more, and we expect more. But I saw resilience, courage, grit, toughness, and character tonight. That’s who we are.”
Looking Ahead
With ACC play beginning at Georgia Tech, Swinney believes the early challenges will pay off.
“At least we know we’re battle tested. Some teams out there won’t break a sweat till October. This bunch has been tested right out of the gate. That’ll serve us well,” Swinney said.
He closed with a reminder of just how rare this comeback was:
“It’s the third biggest comeback in Death Valley history. There’s a reason why there’s only three—because usually, when you get down like that, you get beat. But this team showed heart, courage, and toughness to get it done.”