Cade Klubnik walked off the field at Yankee Stadium with a heavy heart and a head full of memories. His final game in a Clemson uniform didn’t end the way he hoped - a tough loss to Penn State in the Pinstripe Bowl - but the senior quarterback made it clear: he’s grateful for the journey, even if the destination wasn’t what he imagined.
“Just wanted to go out with a win,” Klubnik said, his voice tinged with emotion. “Just didn’t get it done.
But just thankful for everybody that I’ve been able to spend life with over the past four years. It’s been a good four years.”
That sentiment echoed the kind of season Clemson had - one filled with grit, close calls, and a few too many “almosts.” The Tigers held Penn State to just 22 points, a number that would’ve all but guaranteed a win in years past. In fact, this was only the fourth time in the last 132 games that Clemson lost when allowing fewer than 23 points - and the second such loss this season, the other coming in the opener against LSU.
For head coach Dabo Swinney, that stat says it all. The margin for error in college football is razor thin, and in 2025, Clemson found itself on the wrong side of that line more often than it’s used to.
“I know what’s real. I know what’s not,” Swinney said postgame.
“I know we’ve got seven wins, but we’re a lot closer than people think. It’s one more catch.
It’s one more good throw. It’s a better call.
It’s one stop.”
That’s been the story of Clemson’s season - a handful of plays that could’ve flipped the script. And while the outside noise has grown louder - questions about the end of six straight College Football Playoff appearances, the snapping of a 14-year postseason win streak - Swinney isn’t interested in knee-jerk reactions. He’s focused on the process.
“You evaluate everything,” he said. “That’s just part of our business.
I don’t make emotional decisions. Is it personnel?
Is it scheme? Is it bad calls?
There’s a lot of things you evaluate as a coach.”
Pressed on what changes might come heading into next season, Swinney kept things close to the vest.
“There’s plenty of things,” he said. “But I’ll keep those to myself.”
Beside him, Klubnik didn’t hold back in expressing what Swinney has meant to him over the past four years. The quarterback, who’s been through the highs and lows of a Clemson program in transition, spoke with deep admiration for his coach.
“My favorite coach I’ve ever had,” Klubnik said. “The biggest thing I admire is consistency.
He’s the exact same person every single day. That’s something I try to live after.”
Klubnik credited Swinney not just for his development as a player, but as a person - pointing to growth in his faith, leadership, and overall maturity. For a player who came in with high expectations, it’s clear he’s leaving with something more lasting than just stats or wins.
“I get to leave this place with a smile on my face,” Klubnik said. “Sad that it’s over, but glad that it happened. It’s been even better than I could have ever imagined.”
Swinney, who’s coached his share of elite quarterbacks, didn’t hesitate to return the praise.
“Man, I love this kid,” Swinney said. “He’s a warrior.
He’s as tough as they come. He’s a Top 5 winning quarterback in the history of this school.
You win as a team, you lose as a team - and this kid has done a lot of winning.”
And that’s the heart of it. Clemson may have fallen short this season, but the foundation is still there. Swinney made it clear that this isn’t a program unraveling - it’s one recalibrating.
“This is the second-worst season we’ve had in 17 years,” Swinney said. “It’s never as good as you think.
It’s never as bad as you think. There will be something good come from this.”
For Cade Klubnik, the chapter has closed - a career defined by resilience, leadership, and a deep love for the program. For Clemson, the offseason begins with questions, but also with a belief that answers - and better days - are within reach.