Cal's Swinney Vs. Clemson's Swinney

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney joked twice this week that perhaps he has a long-lost cousin on Cal’s roster heading into Friday night's Cal-Clemson matchup in Berkeley.

Swinney noticed that Cal’s starting center is Bastian Swinney, and the Tigers head coach made special mention of the matching last names on both his Monday radio show and in his Tuesday press conference.

According to the 2010 census, Swinney is the 6,909th most common surname in the United States, so there are a few more Smiths and Joneses and Johnsons than Swinneys, but each team in Friday night’s Cal-Clemson game in Berkeley will be represented by that uncommon name.

“Apparently my cousin is the starting center for ‘em,” Dabo joked on his Monday night radio show via Clemson Insider. “His name is Bastian Swinney. … I got a long-lost cousin out there in Cali, I guess.”

In fact Dabo Swinney and Bastian Swinney are not related and have never met. Bastian Swinney’s brother, Cal freshman wide receiver Meyer Swinney, will make it three Swinneys at Friday’s game.

Cal center Bastian Swinney — Cal center BastianSwinney | Photo by Jake Curtis

Bastian Swinney grew up in and around Edina, Minnesota, and spent parts of his childhood in Puerto Rico and Florida.

Dabo Swinney, whose real name is William Christopher Swinney but was dubbed Dabo as a baby when his brother identified him with a mispronunciation of “that boy,” was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and went to high school in Pelham, Alabama.

So Dabo Swinney hasn’t seen many people with the same last name, and was eager to point out the Cal player with the identical surname.

Dabo Swinney made a point of mentioning Bastian Swinney again during his Tuesday press conference, again using the same possible-lineage joke.

“Obviously the best player on their entire offensive line is Bastian Swinney, the center,” Dabo Swinney said facetiously. “I mean, he’s got to be the best, so I guess I’ve got a long-lost cousin out there. He spells it the same. I can’t wait to meet Bastian. I’m going to look him up when I get out there. I don’t know how I didn’t get him on my recruiting radar when he was coming out.”

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney shouts out to Cal starting center Bastian Swinney today: “I guess I’ve got a long-lost cousin out there. Even spells it the same. … I don’t know how I didn’t get him on my recruiting radar” pic.twitter.com/SHZEAGRBvM
— Chapel Fowler (@chapelfowler) September 22, 2026

Bastian Swinney had offers from a lot of schools coming out of Edina High School, including Minnesota, Michigan, Indiana, Louisville, Missouri and Nebraska, among others, but Clemson was not one of them.

The 6-foot-6, 315-pound Bastian Swinney is in his sixth year at Cal, so he’s been around awhile and is regarded as the leader and the chief spokesman for the Bears’ offensive line.

He and his offensive line mates will be counted on to protect Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele and carve out some holes for running back Adam Mohammed.

Cal ranks last in the ACC in rushing offense, but Clemson ranks 16th among the 17 ACC teams in rushing defense. Furthermore, Clemson ranks 14th in rushing offense, and Cal is 14th in rushing defense.

Neither team has run the ball effectively, but neither team has stopped the run consistently.

Whichever team wins the battle in the trenches and gets a running game going is likely to win the game, after which the Swinneys can meet, shake hands and discuss their heritage.

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