Dabo Swinney's struggles continue to get worse, especially after the Clemson Tigers' 34-21 loss at home to the Syracuse Orange.
Clemson entered the game with a 1-2 record, suffering losses to ranked squads in LSU and Georgia Tech. They lone victory was against Troy, a team they were also losing to before completing a rally to secure the win.
However, their comeback efforts wouldn't come to fruition again, falling to the Orange as their overall record worsens to 1-3. Swinney reflected on the loss after the game, per reporter Jon Blau. He revealed there was plenty of pain going on in the locker room as players are expressing their frustrations in being unable to win crucial matchups.
“Congratulations to Syracuse. They earned it and won the game and wish those guys well for the rest of the season. But obviously an incredibly disappointing outcome and start to our season. I mean, there's just no other way to say it. Just a lot of pain. I had been in a lot of painful locker rooms. That was up there, near the top. And the heart just hurts for our team and our fans. Our fans showed up today and did a great job, and we just didn't get it done,” Swinney said.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney says there was a lot of “pain” in the locker room. One of the most emotional he’s seen in his career. pic.twitter.com/3DBg0FP3W4
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) September 20, 2025
How Dabo Swinney, Clemson performed against Syracuse
It was a tough loss for Dabo Swinney to get, who might have his job security at risk after Clemson's loss to Syracuse.
The Tigers couldn't shake off their slow start as the Orange came out the gates strong, leading 24-14 at halftime. No matter what the hosts tried, the visitors had many counters against them, proving the matchup to be too much for Clemson to overcome.
Cade Klubnik was relentless with his passing throughout the day. He completed 37 passes out of 60 attempts for 363 yards and three touchdowns and one interception.
Adam Randall was effective on the ground for Clemson's run game. He had 16 of the team's 22 carries, finishing with 130 yards, while recording seven receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown. Three other players recorded five or more catches. T.J. Moore led the way with eight receptions for 92 yards, Bryant Wesco Jr. came next with six catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns, while Antonio Williams provided five receptions for 49 yards.
The Tigers will look to bounce back in their next matchup, being on the road. They are on a bye next week but will resume play when they face the North Carolina Tar Heels on Oct. 4.
