On the Matt Barrie Show this week, ESPN’s Paul Finebaum surprised Clemson football fans by praising Dabo Swinney for turning the Tigers’ season around after their early 34-3 loss to Georgia. Known for his criticism of Clemson’s head coach, Finebaum acknowledged that the team’s improvement has been one of the season’s big surprises. “Maybe one of the biggest surprises I’ve had this season is watching Clemson get a lot better,” he said. “To Dabo Swinney’s credit, I mean, I led the parade ruling them out after Labor Day.”
Clemson (6-1, 5-0 ACC) has won six straight games since the opener and heads into their Saturday home game against Louisville ranked No. 11 in the AP Top 25 and No. 8 in the Coaches Poll. Swinney, however, has drawn criticism for Clemson’s approach to the transfer portal. Unlike many programs, Clemson was one of only four FBS schools, alongside the service academies, to skip the transfer portal entirely during the 2024 cycle.
Responding to Finebaum’s comments, Barrie suggested Swinney’s strategy could prove “incredibly victorious.” He noted that Swinney’s loyalty to recruiting and developing his players might outlast the trends, saying, “If they go win the ACC and are in the College Football Playoff, he can sustain the Dabo way while everyone’s dabbling in the portal, and he might have the last laugh.”
Following an open date in Week 9, Clemson now turns its attention to Saturday’s ACC matchup against Louisville (5-3, 3-2 ACC) at Death Valley, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on ESPN.