Saturday’s 51-10 loss at LSU was Clemson’s most lopsided loss since 2002. Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network
Sept. 8, 2026 Updated 2:15 pm EDT
Coming off a 51-10 blowout loss at LSU, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney was asked Tuesday whether he regrets how he constructed the Tigers’ 2026 roster following last year’s 7-6 season.
“No, I don’t,” he said. “I regret being 0-1 right now. I regret that. Can you ask me that at the end of the season? The season ain’t over. I mean, we got one game, got 11 more. What if we go 11-1? You promise me you’ll ask me that then? I’ll answer it.
“I’m not answering questions like that.”
Swinney went on to say the question was meant to create controversy.
Full response from Dabo here: https://t.co/1Xpau77Yv3 pic.twitter.com/WaITowkb11
— Chapel Fowler (@chapelfowler) September 8, 2026
Saturday’s result at LSU was Clemson’s most lopsided loss since 2002. Swinney, the winner of two national titles, is 7-8 in his past 15 games as head coach. Swinney is under contract through 2031, making more than $11 million annually, with a buyout of around $60 million. He’s in his 18th season in his role.
After being criticized for coming around too slowly to the transfer portal, Swinney added 15 transfers this offseason. But it came as the Tigers lost nine players who were selected in the NFL Draft. Clemson’s No. 16 spot in 247Sports’ Team Talent composite is its lowest position in the 12-year history of the metric.
Swinney has remained defiant that his style will work out in the end. But after another loss in the national spotlight, the questions won’t stop.
“We’ve played one game,” he reiterated. “They give you 12 games, and at the end of the year, you count ’em up. That’s when those type of questions are fair to me. Not after one game, to maybe the best team in the country. We got 11 more games to go battle, and we’ll count ’em up. Then you can ask me whatever question you want.”
Sep 8, 2026
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