Who would’ve guessed that a routine postgame celebration would deliver the biggest blow of Clemson’s season? After a frustrating stretch of losses to SMU, Duke, and Syracuse, the Tigers finally broke through with a hard-fought 20-19 win over Louisville. But the brief moment of joy didn’t last. Minutes after the victory, the celebration ended the season for one of Dabo Swinney’s young offensive linemen.

Clemson beat writer Chapel Fowler reported on X: “Clemson coach Dabo Swinney says true freshman OL Brayden Jacobs has a foot injury and will be out for the season as well. Dabo says Jacobs got hurt not during the game but while celebrating on the field after the Louisville game. Says he fell on his foot wrong.”

ESPN’s broadcast captured the entire moment when Jacobs was jumping during Clemson’s final kneel-down celebration, and his right foot bent awkwardly as he landed on the ground. Seconds later, another camera angle showed him tumbling in the background, which ultimately cost him the rest of his season.

Head coach Swinney said Jacobs is expected to be ready for spring practice, and Collin Sadler is the most likely player to step into his role in the meantime. But losing Jacobs now, this late into the regular season, hits hard for an offensive line already stretched thin. Clemson’s offensive line has been battered all year, rolling through six different starting combinations as Elyjah Thurmon, Tristan Leigh, Sewell, Sadler, and Parks all missed time.

Jacobs arrived at Clemson with plenty of buzz and quickly backed it up. Ranked No. 178 overall and the No. 19 offensive tackle in the country coming out of high school, he emerged as one of Clemson’s most promising young linemen. According to PFF, he logged 363 snaps this season and earned the second-highest blocking grade on the roster. His versatility made him even more valuable, switching between left tackle and left guard and holding his own at both spots.

His promise always made sense, given the pedigree. Jacobs is the son of former New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs, who helped prepare him for his breakout freshman year. Earlier this fall, a training clip of father and son went viral. Not for the drills, but for the eye-popping size difference. Brandon Jacobs was listed at 6’4″, 264 pounds during his NFL career. His son stands at 6’7″, 320.

Next week, Clemson hosts in-state FCS opponent Furman with bowl eligibility on the line for the 21st straight season. And losing that kind of frame and that level of talent for the remainder of this season is a significant blow for Dabo Swinney’s team.

Dabo Swinney gets real about their win against Louisville

The Clemson Tigers’ season has been filled with highs and lows, with a 5-5 record and missing a championship berth. But still, the Tigers enjoyed one of their best wins of the season over Louisville. And Dabo Swinney praised his team’s efforts and said this win will help them rise again. “We’ve won a lot, and we’ll win more,” Swinney said. “We’ll win more, but this right here will be a part of our next championship. This is just a part of the next championship. It’s a part of the process to the next great season.”

Well, under Swinney, going into national championships became a standard at Clemson, with two titles during the four-team CFP era. But NIL and the transfer portal made things tough for them. This season was supposed to be their comeback, but starting with a 1-3 record, their hopes were shattered. Now, even if they win the rest of the games, a 7-5 record would be their worst since 2010.

These struggles have even started to raise questions about Dabo Swinney’s tenure with the team. He even joked about it after losing to Duke that he wouldn’t blame AD Graham Neff for firing him after the loss. But let’s not forget he is the same guy who took his team to the playoffs last season and holds a 184-52 record with them.

And with bowl eligibility now hanging in the balance, Clemson will have to navigate that challenge without one of its most promising young linemen.