Swinney ‘Wanted to Vomit’ After Watching Last Year’s FSU Game

CLEMSON, S.C. — When he went back and watched last year’s Florida State game, Dabo Swinney felt a little sick.

“I wanted to vomit watching the Florida State game last year. I mean, it was so painful to watch,” Clemson’s head coach said Tuesday during his weekly press conference.

The Tigers (6-0, 4-0 ACC) won the game 30-20, a win that was sealed when linebacker Barrett Carter recovered a lateral in the end zone as time expired. Running back Will Shipley’s 21-yard touchdown run with 2:53 to play proved to be the game winner.

But getting to that point is what Swinney could not believe because they played so bad the entire afternoon.

“We were so bad. Oh my gosh! We won, which is a miracle, but we were so bad,” Swinney recalled.

The good news is Clemson is much better this season. As the fourth-ranked Tigers get set to travel to Tallahassee, Fla., for a primetime date with the Seminoles (4-2, 2-2 ACC) on ABC, Swinney is not seeing those kinds of games from his football team this season.

The Tigers are playing more efficient. They are playing smarter. They are taking care of the football. They are healthier.

“We don’t really have games like that this year,” he said. “It is never as good as you think, and it is never as bad as you think. That has always been the case. And you always feel that you have to do better, and you are always coaching.

“But grading out tape this year versus last year, is night and day. It is night and day in every area.”

Clemson trailed the Seminoles 20-17 after FSU picked up a loose football and returned it six yards for a touchdown with 7:39 to play. At the time, the Tigers’ 31-game home-winning streak was on the line and things looked bleak.

“We were very fortunate because we lost the turnover margin last year. They scored on us on defense. It was a struggle,” Swinney said. “We were so unsettled. We were young and inexperienced.”

However, Clemson’s defense came up with a three-and-out to force an FSU punt and with 3:48 to play, the Tigers took over the football from their own 42. A pass interference penalty moved the ball to the Seminoles’ 43, then two plays later a personal foul put it at the 21-yard line.

From there, Shipley hit the left side, made two defenders miss and dragged a Seminole with him into the end zone for the game-winning score.

“Again, just watch this game from last year. Holy Cow. We won this game?! I do not know how we won it, it’s crazy,” Swinney said. “That shows the heart of your guys. We won that game last year on just heart, grit and the will to win. They think they are supposed to win.”

Clemson knows it will have to play much better than last year if it wants to win a seventh straight game against the Seminoles.

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