On The ESPN College Football Podcast with Matt Barrie this week, ESPN’s Paul Finebaum discussed Clemson and its 27-17 loss at Pittsburgh last Saturday that dropped the Tigers to 4-3 on the season and 3-2 in the ACC.
“It’s not really a big deal anymore when Clemson loses,” Finebaum said. “But that loss (Saturday), Matt, that was a dagger. I’m not going to go back and recreate all the stuff we’ve already talked about here. But to me, that was a seismic loss.”
Finebaum hasn’t minced words when discussing Dabo Swinney and his program this season. After Clemson’s double-overtime loss to NC State on Sept. 25, Finebaum called Swinney a “lousy loser” and said “Dabo’s dynasty is done.”
Finebaum trashed the Tigers again during his latest appearance on The ESPN College Football Podcast, saying “nobody cares about them anymore” and the only reason they’re relevant right now is because of their quarterback conundrum in the wake of D.J. Uiagalelei being benched for Taisun Phommachanh for two series in the loss to Pitt.
“You’re Dabo Swinney, and outside of Nick Saban, the college football world has revolved around you for seven years,” Finebaum said. “And you wake up and you flip on SportsCenter, and the only reason you’re on there is that you’ve benched your Heisman Trophy favorite quarterback. Nobody cares about them anymore. They’re not relevant. They’re not going to a good bowl game. Fair? I mean, where are they going with that many losses, and they may have more.”
Finebaum added that Swinney, as well as Alabama head coach Nick Saban to a certain extent, are “both looking vulnerable” after being the preseason favorites to win the national championship.
“I don’t want to harp on Clemson, but they and Alabama were pretty much the co-picks to win it all this year,” Finebaum said. “All of a sudden, these impenetrable forces in college football – Dabo and Saban, which we have not had a pair like this in a long time – are both looking vulnerable. Dabo is out of it. Saban’s hanging on right now. I mean, certainly in a lot better shape than almost anyone else.”
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