Clemson’s back on the grind after thrashing Furman 45-10 on November 22, and locking in a three-game streak. But the party was short-lived. Dabo Swinney’s defensive line just got smacked with rough news before the South Carolina matchup. That’s indeed a tough pill to swallow after dominating Furman like they did.

On November 23, Clemson beat writer Chapel Fowler tweeted, “Clemson coach Dabo Swinney on his Sunday teleconference announces that DE Jahiem Lawson will be OUT for the South Carolina game and for the rest of the season. Needs tightrope ankle surgery. Dabo wasn’t sure of Lawson’s status last night.” Maybe Swinney, too, was not prepared for this injury update. 

Clemson’s routine afternoon against Furman just turned into a serious injury watch. Defensive end Jahiem Lawson went down hard in the third quarter with a nasty-looking right-leg injury. He couldn’t put any weight on it and had to be helped off the field by trainers straight to the injury tent for evaluation. It was an ultimate panic situation for Swinney and the Tigers.

The alarm bells rang loud for Clemson as Lawson was still on the field deep in the third quarter, even with the backups running the show against Furman. Saturday saw him add another quarterback hurry to his stats, which include 19 total tackles, 11 solo tackles, 3.5 sacks, three pass breakups, in eight games this season. This is what might be nudging Swinney’s wounds more. 

In 2025, he was all in on Lawson’s potential. The defensive end had always lacked a certain something, be it immaturity or size. But after packing on 50 pounds during his Clemson career, Lawson’s physical development had Swinney thinking he could wreak havoc on the D-line this season. Back in August, in an interview, Swinney said, “He’s been a development guy, he has two years left, I would put him at the top as far as most pleasing guys in camp to this point. I’m really encouraged with him.”

Lawson’s injury wasn’t the only punch Swinney took. Tight end Olsen Patt-Henry went down hard on the Tigers’ second drive. He made a key 12-yard fourth-and-seven catch from Cade Klubnik to extend the drive, leading to a 22-yard TD to Antonio Williams for a 10-0 lead. But moments later, Patt-Henry grabbed his knee, headed to the injury tent, and emerged on crutches, needing help to the locker room. Swinney announced that the tight end, too, will miss the rest of the season and will have to have surgery. Not a good omen before the South Carolina face-off. 

Dabo Swinney’s Clemson secured a bowl bid, but a real test awaits

Swinney and the Tigers finally locked in bowl eligibility after smashing FCS foe Furman 45-10 in Week 13. But their most-hated foe awaits. Clemson heads into a Nov. 29 showdown with their arch-nemesis, South Carolina. A win saves the Tigers from matching their worst regular-season finish since 2010 under Swinney, when they went 6-6. And yes, that was the same year South Carolina stunned them at home. Talk about déjà vu creeping in.

“You don’t have to say a whole lot this week,” Swinney said. “Everybody knows what’s at stake, and both teams want the same thing.” Both squads flopped hard this season after starting in the preseason top 15 and hyping up two Heisman hopefuls, Klubnik and LaNorris Sellers. With both teams missing their conference title shots and nowhere near the CFP, the matchup got bumped off ABC/ESPN and slid down to the SEC Network.

Amidst this high-stakes game knocking at the door, reports dropped in that Dabo Swinney has officially interviewed for the Arkansas head coaching job. While the debate continues, Swinney got to take care of the fans’ expectations. At the Clemson–Furman matchup, a fan flashed a sign with an AI-made Shane Beamer rocking a Santa hat. The message, “I’ll be home for Christmas,” trolling South Carolina for sitting out bowl season. Can Swinney’s squad gift-wrap Beamer an early trip home for the holidays?