Paul Finebaum names legendary college football head coach whose 'time is up'

Many national analysts predicted Clemson to be a national championship contender in 2025, but nothing has gone as planned for the Tigers.

Following a 35-24 loss, Clemson fell to 3-4 overall and 2-3 in the ACC, eliminating the Tigers from the College Football Playoff race. The Tigers opened the season with a disappointing 1-3 start, including unexpected ACC losses against Georgia Tech and Syracuse.

Injuries, poor execution, and questionable coaching have doomed the Tigers in multiple games. Most recently, quarterback Cade Klubnik suffered an ankle injury, ending a 34-game starting streak at Clemson.

The lackluster performances have led to many fans questioning if the program needs to move on from head coach Dabo Swinney.

During an appearance on First Take, ESPN's Paul Finebaum shared his thoughts on Swinney's future with the program, casting plenty of doubt that Swinney can lead the program back to national relevance.

Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney joins in the Walk of Champions march | GREENVILLE NEWS-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

"Dabo Swinney has gone to the well one too many times, trying to convince his fan base, 'Hey, we played for four national championships. I have two. I can still do it again.' There's nobody that believes Dabo Swinney is ever going to win a national championship again at Clemson. This was his last shot," Finebaum stated.

Swinney has taken Clemson to new heights, winning national championships in 2016 and 2018. He's also led the program to nine ACC Championships, compiling an 183-51 record over 18 seasons.

There was plenty of momentum after last season, as Swinney led the Tigers to another ACC Championship, defeating SMU, earning a spot in the College Football Playoff. Unfortunately, Clemson was unable to extend that success to the playoffs, falling to Texas in the first round.

Despite last season's success, Finebaum believes a fresh start may be best for both Clemson and Swinney.

"I, frankly, think it's time for him to go," Finebaum said. "I'm not suggesting they fire him, but he needs to find an exit strategy, because Dabo, your time is up. You are not going to turn it around and quit trying to sell the people of that great university a bill of goods."

Even with the growing frustration, Swinney has one of the biggest buyouts in college football, which could be a massive influence on whether the program chooses to part ways. If Clemson were to make a change, the Tigers would owe Swinney $60 million, the 8th-highest buyout in the country.

Clemson has a much-needed bye week before looking to rebound against Duke on Nov. 1. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 am CT on the ACC Network.