Dabo Swinney on Clemson’s “greatest turnaround” in program history

Clemson’s season never lined up with the lofty expectations that surrounded the program back in August. Entering the year ranked fourth and coming off an ACC title, the sport’s looked poised for another run at the sport’s biggest stage. Instead, they wrapped up the regular season at 7–5 — far from what many anticipated.

Even so, Dabo Swinney has emphasized how proud he is of the team’s response. sport’s dug itself into a 1–3 hole early, yet the group rallied over the final two months, winning six of its last eight. The Tigers closed the schedule with four straight victories, including a 28–14 win at South Carolina to finish the year on a high note.

After the rivalry game, Swinney reflected on the journey rather than the preseason projections. “[Seven wins] wasn’t what we set out for our story to be, but that’s our story, and that’s what life’s all about,” he said. “When good things happen to you, how do you respond? And when bad things happen to you, how do you respond? And man, you saw a group of young people that have responded to a lot of adversity, a lot of disappointment, a lot of negativity, a lot of that stuff. They’ve stayed together. They’ve continued to believe.”

Swinney also labeled this group as one of the most resilient he’s coached. He pointed out that no Clemson team had ever reached seven wins after opening 1–3 or worse, calling the 2025 squad “the greatest turnaround team in Clemson history.” He added, “There’s 30 teams that started 1-3 or worse – we were only the fourth to get to six [wins]; nobody got to seven.”

Now the Tigers wait to see where they’ll land for bowl season. One more win would extend Clemson’s streak of posting at least eight victories to 15 consecutive years, a feat only Alabama and Georgia have matched. “There’s only two other teams that have had eight-[plus] wins 15 years in a row, and that’s Alabama and Georgia,” Swinney said.

The postseason destination will be revealed on Dec. 7, when Clemson will look to add to its run of 14 straight seasons with a bowl win — the longest active streak in the FBS.

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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Dabo Swinney on Clemson football’s historic turnaround in 2025