Clemson football head coach Dabo Swinney expressed frustration with officiating after the No. 12 Tigers fell 17-14 to No. 15 South Carolina in Saturday’s rivalry clash at Death Valley.
“There were several questionable things out there today,” Swinney said postgame. “But we still had plenty of opportunity to win the game.”
One pivotal moment came in the third quarter with Clemson ahead 14-7 and driving at the South Carolina 32-yard line. On a trick play, quarterback Cade Klubnik pitched the ball to running back Phil Mafah, who stumbled while catching it and tried to toss it to Bryant Wesco. Mafah was initially ruled down, but after review, officials determined he never secured the ball, resulting in a live-ball fumble recovered by the Gamecocks.
“It was a tough break,” Swinney said. “We thought he was down, and it looked like we had a good play lined up.”
Earlier in the game, another review overturned a completed pass from Klubnik to Wesco near the sideline, ruling that Wesco’s foot was out of bounds. Swinney noted the impact of those calls.
“All the reviews went against us today,” he said. “But we had every opportunity to win. Strange things happen sometimes, and you have to overcome them.”