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Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney takes responsibility for the team's disappointing performance last season, highlighting losses in close games. The Tigers lost three one-score games by a total of 11 points, a stark contrast to their previous success.
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Dabo Swinney isnât dodging anything when it comes to Clemson footballâs 2025 season. If thereâs blame to go around, he says it starts with him.
After years of building a program known for closing out tight games, Clemson suddenly found itself on the wrong side of those moments. The Tigers dropped three one-score contests, all of them decided by a combined 11 points, a sharp contrast from what the program has been for more than a decade.
âI did not get it done last year,â Swinney said on the Jim Rome show.
That frustration showed up early. Clemson opened the season with a loss to LSU, then let another one slip away weeks later against Georgia Tech on a last-second kick. Later in the year, Duke stunned the Tigers in Death Valley with a score in the closing seconds, snapping a drought that dated back decades.
âTwo of those games were on the last play of the game, just gut-wrenching,â Swinney said.
Instead of stacking wins in those situations like they had in the past, Clemson couldnât finish. That was the difference between a strong year and a 7-6 record that ended with a bowl loss to Penn State. For a team that entered the year with playoff-level expectations, it was a major letdown.
Swinney didnât point to players or bad breaks. He pointed to himself.
âOne score games are hard,â he said. âTo me, the head coach should make the difference in close games, and I did not do that.â
Thatâs a notable shift when you consider Clemsonâs track record. Since 2011, the Tigers have almost never lost when leading heading into the fourth quarter. Last season, though, those late-game situations turned into missed chances instead of wins.
âTwo of those (seven losses) were last year. There were a couple of times when we did not finish when we had an opportunity to, and I did not make the difference in the close games. To me that is my job as a head coach,â Swinney said. âI am disappointed that I was not better for those guys because that team was certainly better than its record.â
Now, the conversation around Clemson feels completely different. The hype that followed them into last season isnât gone, replaced by skepticism after a year that didnât match expectations.
Swinney seems to welcome that.
Dabo Swinney admitted he did not perform well last season and took responsibility for the team's struggles.
Clemson lost three one-score games last season, with the total margin of defeat being just 11 points.
Clemson lost to LSU, Georgia Tech on a last-second kick, and Duke, marking a significant downturn for the program.
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âNow it is just the opposite, everybody is telling us how bad we are and all of that, so I think it is a great opportunity for us to see if we can get back in the mix this season,â he said.
Clemson wonât have to wait long to find out where it stands. The 2026 season opens with a trip to LSU, giving the Tigers an immediate shot to flip the narrative and show theyâve figured out how to finish again.
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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney takes blame for poor last season