Dabo Swinney and Clemson are on a troubling stretch in program history after the LSU steamrolled them into a 51-10 defeat. According to former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Emmanuel Acho, Swinney should step down from his position.
“Dabo Swinney, you need to step away from the game of football,” said Acho on the SpeakEasy podcast. “If you are not going to adjust. If you are going to be willing to adjust to the times that I know you had been anti-transfer portal for so long. You have been anti-paying players for so long.
“Hey, Dabo, either get on the train or get run over, and as it stands right now, you’re getting run the hell over. I feel bad for Clemson fans. Y’all are used to championships.”
Clemson fans definitely need a shoulder to lean on. The program’s golden run in college football seems to be hitting the brakes. Since Swinney joined as wide receivers coach in 2023, the 51-10 loss is the program’s second-worst loss since the 54-7 defeat to Florida State in 2000. It was painful enough for Swinney to admit his embarrassment.
“We got our ass kicked,” he said. “It’s an embarrassing performance, coaching and playing. We have to own that.
“I know we’re better than how we performed, and we got to learn, and we’re going to grow from it. We’re gonna get better. We’re gonna have a great season but we can’t let it this linger. We got to flush it, own it, and then move forward.”
Clemson struggled to reach 100 yards of total offense until a late touchdown drive pushed them over the marker. LSU, meanwhile, controlled every facet of the game, piling up 644 total yards and 309 rushing yards compared to Clemson’s 145. The first-down margin was just as lopsided, with LSU holding a remarkable 38-8 edge in a dominant performance.
Clemson picked off LSU on the opening drive and converted the turnover into a field goal, but the offense struggled mightily afterward, finishing with only 105 passing yards. Their offensive woes were evident in its four sacks allowed and 1-of-13 third-down conversion rate. LSU converted 21 third downs in the first half alone.
Nothing seemed to work for Dabo Swinney against LSU. He has ruled over the ACC for nearly a decade, but after 2023, his grip has been slipping. That year marked the first time in a long time that he finished with single-digit wins in a season.
Clemson finished 10-4 in 2024 with a star quarterback in Cade Klubnik. But a regressed offense and Klubnik played a part in Clemson turning in its first losing season of the decade, finishing 7-9. Out of nowhere, the once-dominant head coach now finds himself on the hot seat.
As Ocho highlighted, Swinney and Clemson have not relied enough on the transfer portal, when every other P4 program attacks it to secure the best available players. In 2025, Clemson brought in a program-high tally of four. This season, that number bumped up to 15. Two years ago, the number was zero.
The lack of experience showed itself in the team, especially on the lines of scrimmage. Except for center Harris Sewell, the other four starters only had seven starts in total. And after Klubnik, Swinney handed the QB1 keys to Christopher Vizzina, who threw for 83 yards and was picked off once by LSU.
The opponents had an experienced signal caller in Sam Leavitt, who transferred to LSU from Arizona State. Their offensive line also has perhaps the best center in college football in Jordan Seaton, who was previously at Colorado.
Sure, this is just the first game of the season. But this is Clemson losing to arch-rivals LSU by more than 40 points. It is not a good look for the Tigers’ playoff hopes, which is unlike the program’s standards.
Can Dabo Swinney manage to turn it all around at Death Valley? Only time will tell.