CBS analyst questions whether Miami-Clemson will trigger end of Dabo Swinney era
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
There was once a time when Clemson was one of the country’s elite programs. But the transfer portal and NIL eras have seen the program surpassed by countless others around the country. The Tigers finished 7-6 in 2025, Dabo Swinney‘s fewest wins since going 6-7 in 2010, his second season.
Clemson, 3-1, takes on 4-0 Miami on Saturday, with the Hurricanes heavily favored to get a win in Death Valley. With players like Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney, there’s no reason to think the Canes won’t at least be in the national championship game for a second straight year if they don’t win it altogether.
But what could a heavy loss on Saturday mean for Swinney? CBS Sports college football analyst Damien Harris feels there’s a chance it could signal the end.
“This Miami team is for real. Offensively, defensively, this is a damn good football team, and we’ve seen the opposite from Clemson,” Harris said on Saturday. “If this game starts to get very uncomfortably out of hand and we look up at the end of the game, the scoreboard says a lot to a little, we have to keep asking the question: Is Clemson going to allow Dabo Sweeney to finish out the year … Are they going to do him the courtesy of allowing him to finish out the season?”
If Clemson does part ways with Swinney during the season, it will owe him $57 million. That number grows to over $60 million in 2027. If Swinney can’t right the ship, the university may have no choice but to cut bait while considering the long-term prospects of the program, Harris said.
“‘We’re not in a position to where we’re winning. We’re falling farther and further behind the eight ball. What is this going to do for our terms in recruiting?’ These are the questions you have to ask if this game starts to get very lopsided towards the end,” he said.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
