Is Dabo Swinney In Trouble After Clemson’s 1-2 Start?

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers football program.

Dabo Swinney recently addressed the growing criticism surrounding Clemson football following the team’s disappointing 1-2 start to the 2025 season, which included losses to LSU and Georgia Tech. In his remarks, Swinney strongly defended the program’s track record and fired back at those he referred to as “doubters.” He reminded critics of Clemson’s sustained success over the past decade—highlighting eight ACC titles, seven College Football Playoff appearances, four national championship game appearances, and two national titles—as evidence that the program is far from failing. Swinney made it clear that he hears the outside noise but dismissed many critics as not truly being “all-in” with the team, especially if they’re turning on the program after a few early setbacks. “If they’re tired of winning, they can send me on my way,” he said, pointing to Clemson’s overall excellence as the standard. Swinney also emphasized that the current adversity is just a temporary setback, not a sign of decline.

Clemson's next football game is scheduled for this Saturday, September 20, 2025, when they will host the Syracuse Orange at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina. This game marks Clemson's first home conference matchup of the season. The Tigers are 10-2 all-time against Syracuse, including a perfect 5-0 record at home. The game is set to kick off at 11:00 AM ET. Clemson enters this game with a 1-2 record, including a narrow loss to Georgia Tech, and is looking to rebound in ACC play. If Clemson loses again, what does that mean for Dabo Swinney and the Tigers? Is Clemson in trouble? Is Clemson on the downfall?