Clemsoning was a term Clemson football fans knew long before Dabo Swinney. It was a term used to refer to the program that always seemed to lose big games and collapse on the national stage. But Swinney changed the game.
The Tigers won a few national titles under Swinney and the program was at the top of college football from 2015 to 2020. Hell, Clemson even won 11 games a year ago.
But something seemed to happen after the 2020 season. The Tigers went from national title contenders to ACC contenders and now Clemson is 4-4 on the season after another tough loss, this time on the road against a team mediocre from NC State.
Swinney is looking at a .500 season for the first time since 2010, which was his third season with the Tigers.
The Tigers are entering dangerous territory after going 15-7 over the past two seasons and losing at least three games for a third straight season. Swinney suffered more than three losses in a single season only once in the previous nine years.
Clemson is in danger of becoming irrelevant.
Is Clemson football in trouble?
The Tigers have now lost four games this season, which is the most in a single year since 2011, when Clemson was 11-4 with an Orange Bowl berth. This year feels a lot more like a loss.
Plus, this was supposed to be Clemson’s comeback season after a few consecutive disappointing years after Trevor Lawrence left the program for the NFL. DJ Uiagalelei transferred to Oregon State and Cade Klubnik was supposed to be the answer. He didn’t get that far.
Clemson is now out of the ACC title race and potentially fighting for a bowl berth in the final four games of the season.
Clemson is in a dangerous situation under Swinney.
If he fails to bowl this season and hovers around .500 or just above next year, could it be time to cut ties with the former top-three college football coach ? It’s hard to say, but it looks like it’s the beginning of the end.
Swinney needs to make sure things change quickly.
