Dabo Swinney shredded for questionable clock management in walk-off loss to Georgia Tech
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Clemson could have had a chance. Clemson probably should have had a chance. Instead, Dabo Swinney sat on 2 timeouts as he watched Georgia Tech run out the clock and kick a game-winning, 55-yard field goal.
Clemson lost 24-21 to Georgia Tech on Saturday, the Tigers’ second loss in 3 games to begin a once-promising season. The Tigers were a preseason top-5 team, viewed as favorites in the ACC. They’ve looked like anything but that through their first 3 games.
The Tigers outgained Georgia Tech in the defeat, both in total offense (381-358) and on a yards-per-play basis (6.2-5.1). They had fewer penalties and ran the ball better. They had 8 tackles for loss while giving up none to Georgia Tech. Play the game 9 more times and Clemson might win more than it loses.
But it’s hard to beat a quality team when the head coach makes crucial late-game mistakes.
Georgia Tech ran off the final 3:26 of game clock to set up its walk-off field goal. The Yellow Jackets threw a pass on second-and-11 from their own 42-yard-line with 1:14 to play and then didn’t throw again. It was clear that coach Brent Key was content to run out the clock and play for a field goal.
Clemson used its first timeout with 2:35 to play and a third-and-1 upcoming. Georgia Tech converted and the 2-minute timeout stopped the clock. From there, Swinney held his remaining 2 timeouts.
Georgia Tech snapped the ball with 1:10 to play and gained 4 yards, then with 51 seconds to play and gained 3 yards. It called timeout with 40 seconds to go, then ran again, gaining 3 yards on a quarterback keeper. Swinney let the clock run until Georgia Tech took its final timeout with 26 seconds to play.
On a third-and-4, Georgia Tech picked up 2 with another run from quarterback Haynes King. Swinney could have called time with 20 or so seconds left on the clock and tried to give his team at least an opportunity to play for a tie, or even go for the win.
Instead, he watched as Georgia Tech ran a fire drill field goal unit onto the field, wound the clock down, and then punched a career-long kick through the uprights as time expired.
Swinney walked off the field with as many timeouts as he now has losses on the 2025 ledger.
And it’s fair to say that Clemson’s College Football Playoff hopes are now in serious peril. The Tigers likely can’t afford another loss.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
