NCAAF News: Clemson HC Dabo Swinney drops blunt admission on loss to Louisville

The Clemson Tigers suffered their second loss of the season at the hands of the Louisville Cardinals. Their six-game win streak was snapped as the Cardinals entered Memorial Stadium and shocked the home crowd. Following the loss, head coach Dabo Swinney made a revealing comment on the Tigers’ performance.

No. 11 Clemson fell from the top spot in the ACC after an upset 34-21 loss to Louisville. After the game, Dabo Swinney delivered a straightforward comment about Clemson’s performance on their home field and what the message is for the team going forward.

“We got to try to find a way to win next week, and you just go from there,” Swinney said, via On3. “You put everything you got in. Every game is a season of its own. That’s how we look at it. And you can’t carry anything over, good or bad. It’s new. And this one is is over, and there’s certainly so much disappointment in it.”

The Tigers struggled, especially with their passing offense and rushing defense. Cade Klubnik recorded his third-lowest passing yardage of the NCAA season, despite achieving season-highs in both completions and pass attempts. Clemson’s QB posted 33 completions for 228 yards and one touchdown.

Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney walks on the field during pre-game warmups before the Aflac Kickoff Game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes Benz Stadium on August 31, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia.

The ground attack was the name of the game for both sides. The Tigers failed to contain the Cardinals as they rushed on 27 carries for 210 yards and three tuddies. Clemson was effective on the ground, as well, although they had much more rushing attempts. The ‘Orange and Regalia’ had 45 carries for 222 yards and two touchdowns.

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Swinney gives credit to Louisville’s gameplan

The Louisville Cardinals posed a significant threat to the Tigers’ undefeated conference record, though they may have been overlooked. The Cardinals had put the Miami Hurricanes against the ropes a couple weeks ago and they showed they could be a headache for any team with College Football Playoffs aspirations. The school from Kentucky put on a dominant gameplan and earned Swinney’s recognition.

“I give all the credit to Louisville and Coach Brohm and his staff,” Swinney admitted. “They flat out got it done. And this is not an easy place to win. We got the best winning percentage at home, I think, in college football coming into tonight, and they walked in here and they freaking kicked our tails all over the field. So all you can do is own that and go back to work.“

Bounce back opportunity

On November 9, Clemson visits Virginia Tech in a pivotal game. The Tigers must win and get back on track, with hopes of making the postseason. A third loss would take the team off the Playoffs picture and could jeopardize their appearance in the ACC Championship Game.