Clemson didn’t leave Syracuse with style points, but Dabo Swinney wasn’t in the mood to nitpick the aesthetics after an 18-13 road win.
For Swinney, the bottom line was simple: the Tigers got out of a difficult place with a victory, and that mattered more than how it looked.
“Really proud of our team, just always a tough place to go win,” Swinney said. “And just really proud of them for finding a way to win.
That’s really kind of the epitome of that game: found a way to win it. Far from perfect, but I do see this team continuing to grow.
And I thought they showed a lot of toughness. Again, good to win a close game.
And to have great seasons, you gotta win close games. So good to see them again on the road; find a way to do that.”
Clemson’s formula was hardly flashy, but it worked. Nolan Hauser kept delivering, and the defense kept turning the screws at the right moments.
“We never trailed in the game. And again, just a tough, gritty win.
A lot of good things in special teams,” Swinney said. “Obviously, Hauser just continues to have an amazing season for us.
Red zone defense and the takeaways were the story of the game for us defensively. We did have four three-and-outs.
I think we affected the quarterback. So, a lot of good things; plenty we can improve upon.”
The offense, though, still left points on the table.
Clemson hit on a couple of big plays early, with Jarvis Green and Bryant Wesco Jr. each ripping off a 50-yard gain in the first half. But those chunk plays didn’t turn into touchdowns, and the Tigers had to settle for field goals instead, helping boost Hauser’s case for the Lou Groza Award.
“I’m really frustrated with just missed red zone touchdown opportunities,” Swinney said. “That’s just where we just struggled. And it just kind of, some things where we drop the ball, we have a penalty, we get a sack, or just some type of mistake that gets us behind the chains.”
Even with that frustration, Swinney pointed to progress from freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds, especially the way he pushed the ball downfield. He also liked what Clemson did late to close the game out.
“Disappointed there, but I was really proud of our four-minute offense to go win the game and to take the air out of it and get to victory offense with two big, big first downs,” Swinney said. “I thought Tait, again, continues to show improvement. I love how he attacked downfield.”
The Tigers opened November with a win, and Swinney said the team heads home with momentum after back-to-back road victories.
“There were a lot of positives in the game,” Swinney said. “But the biggest positive was we found a way to win.
And get November off to a good start. Back-to-back road wins, that’s never easy.
And so excited to be back at home this week and have our Senior Day. And have a chance to see if we can keep adding some momentum to our season.”
In Other News...
Dabo Swinney Opens Up On Clemsons Most Alarming Offensive Problem
Clemsons offense has been good enough between the 20s to keep the Tigers in the conversation, but the red zone has become the part of the field where drives keep stalling. Through the 2026 season, Clemson has turned only 36.7% of its red-zone possessions into touchdowns, a number that sits 137th in the FBS and has become impossible to ignore as the Tigers try to sharpen the attack.
Dabo Swinney has pointed to more than one reason for the problem, including execution issues and specific game incidents that have slowed the offense at the worst possible time. With Georgia Tech coming to town, Clemson is still looking for cleaner finishes and a way to turn promising possessions into seven points instead of settling for frustration. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson's Thin Secondary Just Took Another Brutal Hit
Clemsons already thin secondary took another hit when Dabo Swinney said cornerback Donovan Starr will miss the rest of the 2026 regular season with an ankle injury. Starr had moved into an elevated role at nickel, making his absence more than just a depth concern for a defense that has been leaning on every available body in the back end.
Branden Strozier is expected to slide into Starrs spot, while freshman Marcell Gipson Jr. and senior Misun Kelley are also in line for more work. The encouraging part for Clemson is that Starr may still be available for the postseason, but for now the Tigers have to navigate the stretch run with another key piece sidelined and more shuffling ahead in the secondary. [Read more 🡒]
Jarvis Green Finally Got His Clemson Chance And Made It Count
Jarvis Green finally got his first start for Clemson, and he made the most of it in a game that needed a spark early. On the opening play, he ripped off a 53-yard run, setting the tone for an offense that leaned on him at important moments and got 85 yards on nine carries from the back who had waited his turn.
Green said afterward that the chance meant a lot after working through injuries, and he made a point of crediting his teammates and coach for sticking with him. For Clemson, it was a reminder of how much depth matters when a player who has been through so much is finally able to step into the spotlight and deliver right away. [Read more 🡒]