Clemson lost 34–21 to Syracuse at home, making another evening in Death Valley a silent one. Now, it falls to 1–3 despite surprisingly outgaining the Orange offense 503–433 and holding a 29–24 edge in first downs. Cade Klubnik went 37-of-60 for 363 yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interception, while Steve Angeli threw for 244 yards and 2 scores before he had to leave due to an injury. Justus Ross-Simmons took his place and caught two TDs to pace Syracuse’s air attack. Nothing went as planned for Clemson in the game. Adam Randall fumbled the ball at Clemson’s 18, which triggered a one-play Orange touchdown. And that touchdown was the nail in the coffin, with the scoreline standing at 34-14 at the end of the third quarter.

And after a heartbreaking loss to Syracuse at home, Clemson’s locker room was bound to be defeated mentally. But they were less defeated and more defiant, with young leaders showing accountability, calm, and holding the long-term view in front of their eyes. The performance was subpar, and it has been subpar the entire season. There are tough questions and even tougher answers, but Tigers’ sophomore linebacker Sammy Brown did not dodge either.

“I’ve lived life with almost everybody on this team since I got here in January of 2024, and I love these guys,” Brown said when asked about the team’s future. “I love each and every guy on that team with all of my heart… even though we didn’t get the outcome, we’re going to come and work on Monday.” Everyone likes facing the media and answering questions when they are constantly winning. But only a few have the guts to answer questions head-on after they’ve failed. Brown is one of those few. He was the first one to face the media, even before Dabo and the other veterans.

When he was asked what Dabo Swinney told them after the loss, he added: “Just, you know, to stay together… Nobody wants to be 1-3. But that’s what we put on tape. So just staying together. To stay off social media. Lean on our brothers; it’ll be all right.” Athletes can handle criticism, but facing the anticipation that it’s coming that’s bravery. And even after the loss, Clemson stands brave.

Clemson now sits at 1–3 and 0–2 in the ACC after this loss. This has been the program’s worst start under Dabo Swinney and a stark early-season reality check at Death Valley. Clemson was outplayed on both fronts, and a lengthy lightning delay added to their woes. Now, being 1-3, Clemson’s playoff hopes are almost nonexistent; all they can try is to make a bowl game and try to win straight games from here. Clemson’s fall in 2025 is for the history books. The fall from being the natty contenders to not making the playoffs after a third of the season is unfortunate, but a reality.

Similarities to the Troy game

September hasn’t been the best of months for Clemson. They were down 16-0 to Troy before clawing their way back with 27 points and winning the game (27-16). But this was only after a 1-hour 32-minute lightning delay and an underwhelming performance emptied the stadium and frayed nerves in Death Valley. The crowd’s mood was sour early as they witnessed the slow start, which then turned into a good performance as Clemson gained control over the field.

But that comeback’s credit does not solely go to the players and the coaching staff. The crowd was equally involved in the game by motivating players. And if you’re wondering how they motivated their team, it was by booing the heck out of them. Yes, the booing was a major part of the Clemson vs. Troy game. Even Dabo Swinney said, “I was booing too.” And today, the Clemson-Syracuse game went in the same direction, with an awful first-half performance from Clemson, having a 10-point difference with the Orange; the crowd leaned on one of their favorite tactics yet again.

And an in-game update from CFB insider Brian Smith captured that vibe. In an X post, he wrote, “Clemson football fans are actually booing inside of Death Valley. The Tigers go 3-and-out, and Syracuse takes over at its own 24-yard line, leading 24-7 with 7:10 remaining in the 2nd quarter.” Clemson’s defense has been unsatisfactory with a lot of fundamental mistakes, while Syracuse maintained a multi-score cushion in the 2nd quarter. That context matters because that’s exactly what happened in the Troy game. In another post, this time by Chapel Fowler, noted, “A noticeable amount of fans are also either heading out early for halftime or leaving the stadium entirely,” which is yet another similarity with the Troy game. Surprisingly, a lightning advisory was also issued for the game, which then turned into an hour and 45-minute delay. So, all in all, everything that happened in Death Valley today already happened in Death Valley against Troy. History repeated itself, though not entirely. Clemson lost the game 34-21 and has now been out of the playoffs arithmetically. They won’t make the playoffs with a 9-3 record.