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Clemson has struggled over the last season and a half, going just 3-5 in their last eight matchups versus Power Five programs. The Tigers are 4-3 this year, though two of those wins have come over FAU and Charleston Southern.
Another came in a less than impressive five-point win over Wake Forest. The poor start has landed Clemson the CW treatment.
It’s a stark contrast to what the program saw under the leadership of Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence, winning a pair of national titles and appearing in two more.
Despite having a duo of five-star passers in DJ Uiagalelei and Cade Klubnik follow, the Tigers haven’t been able to replicate the same success. The drop off in quarterback play isn’t the only thing that has fans peeved, though.
Dabo Swinney has been at the forefront of the criticism with many questioning whether he can rebuild his championship caliber program.
Swinney’s lack of transfer portal usage has been a talking point, as have his recent coaching hires. After losing both Tony Elliott (UVA) and Brent Venables (Oklahoma) to head coaching gigs, Swinney has struggled to find replacements at the coordinator positions.
That often seems due to an undying loyalty to Clemson staff and his tendency to hire from within.
Promoted assistant Brandon Streeter lasted just one season as OC before being canned. Unfortunately, Garrett Riley hasn’t been much better despite his being renowned as the nation’s top option on the market last offseason.
Some believe that’s because Swinney won’t give him full control of the offense.
“We hired Garrett to come in here and coordinate the Clemson offense,” the head coach said after a season opening loss to Duke.
On the defensive side of the ball, the drop off hasn’t been quite as steep under Wes Goodwin, though the Tigers have given up 28 points or more in five of their last 10 games. For reference, Brent Venables-led units only allowed opponents to hit the 28-point mark five times over his last four seasons with Clemson – and two of those came in the College Football Playoffs.
The outside view of the program has quickly declined, especially given the rise of Florida State in the ACC. Nothing shows that more than the team’s upcoming TV slot.
Clemson relegated to The CW for 2PM matchup.
The Tigers will play on The CW against NC State on Saturday. The 2 PM contest will feature a pair of 4-3 teams far removed from the ACC championship race (despite what Dabo Swinney might say).
For reference, past CW matchups include NC State-VMI, Boston College-Virginia, and Georgia Tech-Wake Forest.
The network recently partnered with the ACC for one football game a week, as well as a mix of college basketball contests.
This week’s meeting has sparked a reaction on social media.
“Clemson is now on the CW, my how the mighty have fallen.”
“Clemson plays on the CW at 2PM. If it runs over, One Tree Hill will be pushed back and will start once coverage ends.”
“Clemson plays on the CW next week. Very fitting.”
“Clemson relegated to the CW? Yikes!”
“I know people are going to be mad they have to miss re-runs of Dawson’s Creek to watch this meaningless game.”
“I never thought I’d see the day where Clemson is 2PM on the CW bad.”
Dabo Swinney didn’t even know what the channel was after being informed about the schedule.
“I have no idea what it is. I don’t even know where it’s at. Where do I go to it?… It’s a 2 o’clock game, too. That’s kind of different.” -Dabo Swinney
Tough look for the Tigers. We’ll see if they can provide some entertainment in between re-runs this weekend.