What Dabo Swinney said after Clemson’s loss to Georgia Tech
The Clemson Tigers are 1-2 (0-1 ACC) after Saturday’s 24-21 loss to Georgia Tech at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Here’s what coach Dabo Swinney said after the game:
— “We’ve got two losses that have come down to the last play. It’s that simple.”
— “I hurt for our fans because they care. It’s not the start that we wanted, but we’ve got to stay together and fight our way out, one play at a time, one game at a time. We can’t do anything about what has happened. ... There’s a lot of good, but we’ve got two heartbreaking losses.”
— “Just incredibly disappointing. This is Clemson. We’ve got two tough, tough losses to two good teams. It’s my job to find a way to make those couple of plays. I take responsibility.”
— “I know there’ll be a lot of criticism, a lot of negativity. It’s important that our team stays away from that. We’ve got a long way to go. This is competition. There are no quitters in that locker room and there’s no quit in me. That’s for sure. ... I’ve had enough praise and criticism to last me three lifetimes. I hurt for our team. It’s competition. There’s a winner and a loser.”
— On QB Cade Klubnik: “He competed his butt off and gave us a chance to win. Gutsy, gutsy drive (to tie the game). Big plays.” Says Klubnik made mistakes but gave them a chance.
— On Georgia Tech QB Haynes King: “He’s a frickin’ tough competitor. Give him all the credit in the world. And their kicker, too.”
— Swinney admits the lack of complementary football — offense and defense not playing at their best at the same time — is “frustrating” over the last few years. “We had every opportunity” against Georgia Tech, he emphasizes.
— “We’ve won a lot of close games around here. Recently we’ve been finding ways to lose those games.”
— On what changes need to be made after a loss like this, Swinney highlights the defense and says they were “soft on the perimeter” and gave up too many long conversions: “We’ve gotta figure out if it’s personnel, if it’s the call, if it’s how it’s being taught” by coaches.
— “It’s not about what we say. It’s about what we do. How about give LSU some credit? Give Georgia Tech some credit? We’re not entitled to win ... we’re not where we thought we’d be. But there’s plenty of good”
This story was originally published September 13, 2025 at 4:05 PM.
