CLEMSON, S.C. — Dabo Swinney didn’t fire back at his critics. He didn’t lecture anybody in the media. He didn’t talk about his prior success or the drama that ensued this week after he and “Tyler from Spartanburg” made headlines for their viral showdown on Swinney’s weekly call-in radio show Monday night.
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Instead, after Clemson’s 31-23 victory against No. 15 Notre Dame on Saturday afternoon, Swinney was reflective.
For one, he is now the winningest head coach in program history with 166 victories, passing Hall of Famer Frank Howard.
“It’s not anything I’ve ever even dreamed about. … Just, here we are,” Swinney said. “I’m gonna be sending text messages back for about three days.”
For another — and maybe more importantly — this win came at just the right time for Swinney’s Clemson team.
“These guys haven’t had a lot go their way this year,” Swinney said of the 5-4 Tigers. “But they never lost their fight. This is one of those days — one of those wins — that those guys will never forget.”
"It ain't about the paw, it ain't about the logo, it's about the heart of the people wearing it."
This moment is everything. pic.twitter.com/QMfHbBryDk
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) November 4, 2023
It has been a trying season at Clemson. Swinney has been under a microscope more than he has been in many years as the Tigers’ fall from the top has become one of the most fascinating storylines in all of college football.
Publicly, Swinney went on a rampage against “Tyler from Spartanburg” as the two sparred in a public feud that had the entire sport buzzing. But privately, Swinney moved forward — assuring his team behind the scenes that if the Tigers fought like they did against the Wolfpack a week ago, they would win every game left on their schedule.
“I’m just thankful to be able to be a part of it and really just appreciate the Good Lord for the struggle,” he said. “I really do.”
It was fitting that Swinney picked up win No. 166 in the same season he has encountered so much adversity. His former players and assistant coaches made him a surprise congratulatory video that, at the time of his postgame news conference, he had not yet seen but no doubt enjoyed later Saturday night. He left his postgame news conference joyful — ready to celebrate with family and friends.
You said to believe, so that's what we did. #ALLIN, always 🐅 pic.twitter.com/W5p89g5dns
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) November 4, 2023
It was equally fitting that such a historic victory came against Notre Dame — the one team Swinney’s late father so badly wanted to see his son beat but never had the chance to. Ervil Swinney passed away from cancer in August of 2015, about two months before his son faced off with the Fighting Irish for the first time and beat Notre Dame in a hurricane-soaked game that will go down as one of the most iconic victories in school history.
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When Ervil died, Swinney had his father’s thumbprint made into a charm he could carry with him. He took it to Death Valley on Saturday.
“First time I ever brought my dad with me, if you will,” he said.
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Swinney said the Tigers would spend Saturday celebrating. They want to enjoy this type of victory, and he said, “We need to,” referencing his team’s psyche.
Then it’s back to work Monday.
Clemson’s offense still has its warts, no doubt. The Tigers scored for the final time midway through the third quarter and gave Notre Dame chance after chance to tie the game. Clemson ended the game with five consecutive punts (one stemming from a momentum-crushing high snap) and a costly fumble by running back Phil Mafah that gave Notre Dame the ball back with 1:47 remaining on its 22-yard line.
.@TrotterJr54 having himself a day 🔥
pic.twitter.com/6dntbOY6Uq— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) November 4, 2023
But the defense was sensational, holding Notre Dame to 146 passing yards and 329 yards of total offense — nearly 100 yards fewer than the Fighting Irish’s average entering Saturday. Linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. had 11 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a pick-six. Safety Kylon Griffin had a late pick, as well. Notre Dame’s star running back Audric Esteme had 87 yards but just 5 in the second half.
The offense made noticeable progress, too.
Fumble aside, Mafah was excellent — rushing for a career-high 186 yards on a program-record-tying 36 carries. And when Clemson took a 31-16 lead in the third quarter for its final score of the game, the Tigers put together a near-textbook drive that looked like the Clemson offense of old. Mafah had consecutive runs of 14 and 16 yards, and sophomore quarterback Cade Klubnik completed three passes for 10-plus yards, connecting with tight end Jake Briningstool for 11 yards, wide receiver Troy Stellato for 14 and wide receiver Beaux Collins for 11.
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The Tigers committed zero penalties for the first time on record since the 1952 Gator Bowl against Miami and also won the turnover margin, 3-2.
“If we’re not last in the country in turnovers, we’re 8-1, 9-0 with all the same problems, but the narrative is different,” Swinney said. “No one wants to hear that, but that’s the truth.”
As Clemson looks ahead to its final regular-season games against Georgia Tech, North Carolina and South Carolina, there’s no reason the Tigers shouldn’t stand a chance to win all three. Saturday’s win doesn’t automatically erase Clemson’s struggles from this season, nor does it cure a season that, 10 weeks in, has featured four losses for the first time in 13 years.
But it can give Clemson confidence.
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It can show high-level recruits that the Tigers haven’t completely lost their way — especially on an afternoon when five-star linebacker commit Sammy Brown was notably on campus.
And it can allow Swinney to put an emotional week behind him.
“I’m sure that guy’s a great guy,” he said of Tyler. “We all do things that we probably regret or probably shouldn’t say in the moment. We’ve all done that.”
Now it’s his job to keep Clemson moving forward.
“We’re a stronger team than we were to start the season because we’ve been through some stuff,” Swinney said. “If you’re made of the right stuff and you strain and have some adversity, you get stronger. And we’re stronger because of that.”
(Top photo: Ken Ruinard / USA Today)