Dabo Swinney proclaims if offense plays similar to Duke loss: 'We won't lose another game'

Dabo Swinney and Clemson lost 28-7 to Duke in Week 1 but the head coach is putting an interesting spin on the defeat.

Clemson took a 7-6 advantage into the break before Duke shut them out after halftime. Duke was the epitome of bend but don’t break on defense, holding Clemson scoreless 3 times inside the 10-yard line.

The Blue Devils blocked 2 field goals and recovered a pair of fumbles near the goal line.

Yet, Swinney is painting a positive picture of Clemson’s offense, so much so as to even offer a bold prediction.

Dabo Swinney said he loved what he saw from the offense outside of a few mistakes: “If we do what we did offensively for the rest of the year, we won’t lose another game. It’s just that simple.”

— Matt Connolly (@MattConnollyOn3) September 6, 2023

That’s a strong statement considering the fact that Clemson has 3 home games against teams currently ranked in the top 25. Clemson hosts No. 4 Florida State on Sept. 23, No. 10 Notre Dame on Nov. 4, and No. 17 North Carolina on Nov. 18.

This optimism comes after Swinney was completely dejected after Duke’s first victory vs. Clemson since Nov. 13, 2004.

“An incredibly disappointing loss,” Swinney said. “In all my years of football, I’ve never been a part of a game like that ever.”

No. 25 Clemson will attempt to bounce back as the Tigers host Charleston Southern in their home opener on Sept. 9 (2:15 p.m. EST/ACC Network).