Expectations are always high for the Clemson football program. Whether it be a National Championship bid, winning the ACC, or putting together a winning season, head coach Dabo Swinney has set a high bar. Heralded with the likes of Nick Saban and Urban Meyer, Swinney is one of the most accomplished collegiate coaches of the last two decades. Yet in 2025, the Tigers are miles away from the level of success Swinney's teams have achieved, and after Saturday's loss to the Duke Blue Devils, Clemson football has fallen to a low not seen since 2010.
The Tigers' 46-45 loss to the Blue Devils drops their record to 3-5 and marks their fifth consecutive loss. It is the first time since 2010 that Clemson has lost five straight games, which just so happened to be Swinney's only losing season as Clemson's head coach, according to Brett Murphy of On3 Sports.
The downtrodden season has some questioning Swinney's future with the team, and against Duke, Swinney's frustrations boiled over in the first half. Clemson's defense was gashed for 21 points in the first quarter by Duke. The second quarter offered some optimism after the Tigers' offense clawed back to take a brief 28-21 lead just before halftime. Just as it looked like Clemson could salvage the poor defensive start, they allowed a 43-yard touchdown pass to Duke receiver Que'Sean Brown.
The score sent Swinney into a rage on the sideline and felt indicative of Clemson's season. Clemson would go on to trade scores with Duke until the final drive, where the Blue Devils converted a two-point conversion to win the game. The loss was heartbreaking and is an example of Clemson's season-long struggles.
Dabo Swinney has officially hit a breaking point. Clemson's head coach absolutely loses it on his defense, which has given up 28 first-half points to Duke… at home. pic.twitter.com/TJQTsnIjko
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 1, 2025
Complementary football does not exist with the current iteration of the Tigers. When the offense scores 45 points and accumulates 560 yards, as they did against Duke, the defense fails. When the defense held No. 9 LSU to 17 points in the season-opener, the offense could muster just 10 points in retaliation.
The Tigers are not just bad, they are under .500. If they do not figure things out, the 2025 Tigers will be on par with Swinney's worst finish as head coach since 2010.
