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Dabo Swinney is challenging his Clemson Tigers to continue a recent tradition. The head coach doesn’t want to see the senior class become the first without a national title in nearly a decade.
Swinney delivered a fiery speech to players in the locker room, rousing the spirits of his team in the preseason.
The Tigers saw yet another successful season in 2022, winning 11 games and an ACC championship. Unfortunately, many of the program’s supporters were upset with how the year ended.
Clemson lost two of its last three matchups, falling to South Carolina in the season-ending rivalry and Tennessee in the Orange Bowl. The defeats put a damper on what was Dabo Swinney’s 12th consecutive double-digit win campaign.
While the 10-win seasons continue to roll in, Clemson’s postseason success has fallen off. They’ve dropped two of their last three bowl games and have failed to reach the College Football Playoff since 2019.
Prior, they’d become a CFP staple, winning a pair of national championships in ’16 and ’18. In fact, the Tigers became a mainstay in the title game, appearing in four national championship contests over a five-year stretch.
With that being said, every Clemson senior class has competed for and won a title since the 2013 recruiting cycle. This year’s upperclassmen, however, are in danger of missing out.
Dabo Swinney delivers fiery speech to Clemson team.
“There ain’t no guarantees with what we’re chasing. This is your last shot. Every class since 2013 has won a national championship here. Y’all are on the clock. 15 for 15, why not?”
Goosebumps.
That trek for a perfect season begins in Week 1 against Duke. From there, the slate only gets more difficult. Clemson seems to catch all the big boys in ACC play this year, facing Florida State, Miami, UNC, and quasi-conference member Notre Dame.
They’ll also see road trips against North Carolina State, Syracuse, and South Carolina.
Can the Tigers bring home another national championship? The clock is ticking for the senior class.