Dabo Swinney made himself very clear prior to Saturday’s college football game against Syracuse. He will gladly coach elsewhere if Clemson decides to fire him because he ain’t going to the beach.
However, a nice beach vacation might be good for his central nervous system!
The 55-year-old college football coach went ballistic on officials during the first half against the Orange. He also appeared to hold back tears after the long and painful loss.
It was a crash out of epic proportions from one of the most fiery personalities in sports.
Will Clemson fire Dabo Swinney?
This is a classic case of “what have you done for me lately?”
Swinney was hired at Clemson in 2009. He won nine ACC championships and two national championships. He was thrice named as the national Coach of the Year and twice named as ACC Coach of the Year. You cannot discredit his accomplishments over the last 16 years.
With that being said, the Tigers missed out on the College Football Playoff in 2021, 2022 and 2023. They also lost three games during the regular season in 2024 and lost in the first round of the Playoff.
To make matters worse, Clemson started its 2025 campaign with a loss to LSU. It trailed Troy at halftime in Week 2. It lost to Georgia Tech in Week 3.
Fans are getting impatient because, results aside, Dabo Swinney consistently proves he lost his touch.
Let the meltdown begin.
Calls for change in South Carolina get louder with each week that goes by. Swinney doesn’t care.
He had a lot to say about the early-season criticism during a press conference on Tuesday.
Dabo Swinney had a lot to say on the criticism about Clemson's 1-2 start to the season:
— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) September 16, 2025
"If Clemson's tired of winning, they can send me on my way. But I'm gonna go somewhere else and coach. I ain't going to the beach. Hell, I'm 55. I've got a long way to go." pic.twitter.com/yfShqrPhCi
Do you think it bothers him? I would say so!
If that was not bad enough, the Tigers trailed the Orange by 10 at halftime on Saturday. It was more of the same. A team that was ranked inside the top-five during the preseason converted only one of its attempts on third down. It also committed five penalties for 55 yards.
Swinney was furious with one of the calls made against his defense during the first half. This play was flagged as roughing the passer:
Syracuse vs Clemson
— CFB Depth – RCoacher (@CoacherRyan) September 20, 2025
Roughing the passer called on this…. 🤷♂️
Targeting was called as well, but reversed on video review.#GoOrange | #GoTigers | #CFB pic.twitter.com/eRpOwZa214
To say Dabo Swinney was not happy would be an understatement.
Dabo Swinney is losing it on the officials today with these personal foul penalties pic.twitter.com/qNu9QuezFe
— Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace_) September 20, 2025
Although I can understand his frustration, his energy might be better spent on his own team. Clemson went on to lose 34-21 after a lengthy weather delay.
Its head coach was emotional while the band played the alma mater.
Clemson HC Dabo Swinney crying after today’s loss to Syracuse pic.twitter.com/HVxTg1X4Rx
— Fire somebody at Clemson, MBA 👾 (@Cambology) September 20, 2025
I can’t wait to see how this plays out.