Clemson’s Collapse at the Pinstripe Bowl Caps a Season to Forget - and Signals a Reckoning Ahead
Dabo Swinney stood on the sideline at Yankee Stadium, staring blankly at the scoreboard after tight end Christian Bentancur dropped a third-down pass early in the fourth quarter - Clemson’s sixth drop of the game, and their most in any contest this season. That moment, in a cold and uninspired 22-10 loss to Penn State in the Pinstripe Bowl, felt like a fitting exclamation point to a season that never lived up to the billing.
The Tigers wrapped up the year at 7-6 - technically better than their 6-7 finish back in 2010 - but make no mistake: this was the most disappointing season of the Swinney era. Back in August, Swinney boldly predicted Clemson could become college football’s first 16-0 team. Instead, the Tigers never sniffed the College Football Playoff, let alone the ACC title, despite returning a veteran roster that had just won the conference.
Things unraveled quickly. Clemson stumbled to a 3-4 start, including a loss to SMU that marked their fifth straight home defeat to a Power Four opponent. That stretch nearly derailed their season before it even had a chance to get going.
Saturday’s bowl matchup between two preseason hopefuls turned into one of the more forgettable games of the postseason. Both programs limped into the Bronx with depleted rosters and little momentum.
For Penn State, it was a patchwork lineup - four defensive starters out, including safety Zakee Wheatley and defensive tackle Zane Durant, both key playmakers. The offense was missing four starting linemen and its dynamic backfield duo of Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton.
Clemson wasn’t any better off. The Tigers were without seven starters on both sides of the ball, many choosing to opt out and begin NFL Draft prep rather than suit up one more time.
The result? A game that felt more like a scrimmage than a bowl.
Still, the issues that plagued Clemson all season were on full display. The offense, once a hallmark of Swinney’s best teams, looked stuck in neutral again.
Cade Klubnik, playing in his final college game, struggled to generate any rhythm. Outside of a fourth-quarter touchdown drive - which needed a fourth-down conversion just to stay alive - the Tigers managed just 236 total yards, averaging 3.6 yards per play.
They punted five times, turned it over on downs twice, made one field goal and missed another. Ten drives, and not much to show for it.
Klubnik’s final stat line - 22-of-39 for 193 yards - tells part of the story. But it was his final snap, a fourth-down sack with 2:29 left, that summed up his season.
Once a top-tier recruit and preseason Heisman dark horse, Klubnik never found his footing in 2025. On a frozen field in the Bronx, his college career ended with a thud.
The Offseason Reckoning Begins
Now, all eyes turn to what comes next - and big changes are likely on the way.
Swinney has already acknowledged that staff changes are coming, and Saturday’s showing only underscored the urgency. The offense, under third-year coordinator Garrett Riley, took a significant step back.
Clemson entered the bowl averaging 28.7 points per game - a far cry from the explosive units that once defined this program. Klubnik’s touchdown total was sliced in half from last season, and the Tigers struggled to create big plays consistently.
It’s fair to wonder whether Swinney will stick with Riley or look to reboot the offense entirely.
The frustration boiled over earlier this year. After a 46-45 home loss to Duke in November, Swinney joked in front of the media - with athletic director Graham Neff nearby - that he “may get fired.” It was a rare moment of levity in an otherwise tense season, one that also included a fine from the ACC after Swinney publicly criticized officiating.
But the bigger shift may be philosophical. For years, Swinney resisted the transfer portal, preferring to build his roster through high school recruiting and player development.
That approach worked - until it didn’t. Now, for the first time, Swinney has signaled he’ll be active in the portal this offseason.
He’s going to have to be. Clemson signed just 20 players in its 2026 high school class and has already lost a few key commitments. The numbers don’t lie: the Tigers need reinforcements.
“The good news is the portal has been moved [back to Jan. 2],” Swinney said earlier this month. “I still think it needs to be changed, but it’s in a better spot so we can focus on this part of it, and then you can kind of see how your roster shakes out and you fill the gaps that you have.”
That’s the task ahead - fill the gaps, fix the staff, and figure out how to restore Clemson to its former place among college football’s elite. The margin for error is thinner than ever. Swinney’s next moves - from the portal to the playbook - will shape not just 2026, but the future of the program he built into a powerhouse.
Right now, that foundation feels shaky. But the offseason gives Clemson a chance to rebuild. The question is: will they seize it?