Clemson Football Officially Snaps 14 Year Streak

After Clemson’s first unranked finish in more than a decade, Dabo Swinney is owning the disappointment while reframing the program’s next chapter.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney celebrates after the clock expired, after the Tigers’ 28-14 win at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C. Saturday, November 29, 2025. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Co Inc SC / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As cliche as it may sound, all good things eventually come to an end. And sometimes, one failure is what it takes to spark new beginnings.

For the past decade and a half, the Clemson Tigers have established themselves as a powerhouse while consistently operating as a legitimate national contender. But after a disappointing 7–6 season, Clemson finished unranked for the first time since 2010, snapping a 14-year run of sustained success.

Since taking over for Tommy Bowden as Clemson Tigers head coach midway through the 2008 season, Swinney has compiled a 187–53 record and a 113–29 mark in conference play.

Prior to this season, Clemson had finished unranked just once during Swinney’s 16 full seasons at the helm, appearing in four National Championship games and winning two of them.

Throughout his time with the Tigers, the veteran coach has leaned on a handful of slogans to establish the program’s identity. One of his most well-known sayings is “Best is the Standard,” a phrase Swinney has used to emphasize the program's internal expectations rather than external results.

“Sometimes people may take that the wrong way. You don’t see win national championships up there. That’s not our goal. Our goal is to be the best we can be,” Swinney said. “We want to be our best. Whatever God gave you, be the best you can possibly be. That applies in every area whether it’s the best coach you can be, the best player, whatever.”

While this season was discouraging, especially for a program that entered the year with College Football Playoff expectations, the 56-year-old head coach took the bulk of the responsibility. After a 34–21 loss to Syracuse early in the season, Swinney addressed the disappointment of not living up to the team's lofty projections.

"I've invested my life here, and when I don't get the job done, I'm responsible. I feel the pain. Not just my pain; I feel everybody's pain. That comes with my job, and I don't run from that," Swinney said. "We have to reset our goals and what we still can do. We can't sit around and dwell on missed opportunities."

With key veteran starters like quarterback Cade Klubnik, pass rushers T.J. Parker and Peter Woods, and offensive linemen Blake Miller, Ryan Linthicum, and Tristan Leigh all headed to the NFL Draft, Clemson will enter next season with a new on-field identity after cycling out some of its most experienced players.