Dabo Swinney torched after Clemson allows 46 points in loss to Duke
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Dabo Swinney has watched Clemson put together its most disappointing season in some time.
The longtime Tigers head coach has overseen double-digit win seasons in every year but two: a 6-7 mark in 2010 and a 9-4 campaign in 2023. And, of course, he led Clemson to national championships in 2016 and 2018.
At the rate things are going for the Tigers in 2025, however, they would be fortunate even to make a bowl. They fell to Duke, 46-45, at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, dropping Swinney’s team to 3-5. It was the Blue Devils’ first win at Clemson since 1980.
Duke opened up a 21-7 first-quarter lead before Clemson eventually pulled ahead 28-21 with a minute remaining in the half. But the Tigers allowed Darian Mensah to engineer a 7-play, 75-yard drive as Duke leveled it at 28 just before the break, with Swinney giving his defense an earful as a result.
The two teams went back and forth, with Clemson eventually going up 45-38. But with the Blue Devils facing a 4th-and-10 from the Tigers’ 18 with less than a minute to go, Clemson’s Avieon Terrell was hit with a questionable pass interference call. On the next play, Duke’s Nate Sheppard took it in from 3 yards out, followed by a successful 2-point try to put the visitors up for good.
Dabo Swinney has had a terrific legacy at Clemson. But things haven’t been this bad in Upstate South Carolina in ages. Here’s some of the reaction on social media:
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.
