No. 4 Clemson’s not going to hit Dabo Swinney’s “16-0” prediction after Saturday night’s season-opening 17-10 loss to No. 9 LSU, but the veteran coach and two-time national champion isn’t sounding the alarm just yet.
Since Clemson’s win over Kentucky in the 2023 Gator Bowl, the Tigers have lost four consecutive games against SEC competition, including last season’s setback at Texas in the College Football Playoff. Getting back to the expanded bracket is the expectation for Swinney, even after the 0-1 start.
“That was a heavyweight fight, simple as that. Just a heavyweight fight as far as the football game,” Swinney said. “They made a couple more plays than we did, and we made a couple more critical errors than they did. In games like that, that’s usually the difference.”
Clemson had three empty fourth-quarter possessions, the last ending on fourth down in the final moments after Harold Perkins Jr. chased down Cade Klubnik and forced an incompletion. Klubnik was sacked twice and rushed out of the pocket throughout thanks to LSU’s oft-attacking game plan.
“I didn’t think we handled their pressures very well,” Swinney said. “Nowhere near close to what we’re capable of offensively. We are much more capable than that, and the guys will be disappointed when they see some of the missed opportunities on tape. But you’ve got to give LSU credit because they made a couple of those critical plays and that’s the difference in a game like this in the fourth quarter.”
Mistakes were crushing for Clemson. Pass rusher T.J. Parker was whistled for a 15-yard penalty on a late hit during LSU’s go-ahead touchdown drive that was capped by Garrett Nussmeier’s 8-yard toss to Trey’Dez Green in the corner of the end zone. Clemson was penalized six times for 57 yards, including three pass interference flags.
“We won the turnover margin. We got the lead at halftime, it’s tied going into the fourth quarter and just the [third-down penalty], those are plays that can just haunt you,” Swinney said. “We don’t get off the field there. A roughing the quarterback and they go on and get a score on that drive. But I will say this: our defense responded after that.”
Clemson’s defense kept it within striking distance late, forcing a pair of LSU punts in the fourth quarter, including a three-and-out with 1:50 remaining.
It was LSU’s defense that won the game, however. Brian Kelly’s unit surrendered just 31 yards rushing on 20 carries and limited Clemson’s preseason All-ACC quarterback to 230 yards and an interception on a 19 of 38 passing effort.
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