Clemson Tigers: "Dabo Swinney might be washed": CFB fans trash Clemson HC after choke job vs. LSU in high-profile season opener

Dabo Swinney's Clemson Tigers got a harsh wake-up call on Saturday night as No. 9 LSU escaped Memorial Stadium with a 17-10 thriller in Week 1 of the 2025 college football season. The Tigers struggled to move the ball against a stingy LSU defense.

This left fans furious and questioning Swinney’s once-untouchable status. LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier stole the show, completing 28 38 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown and guiding Brian Kelly's team to a defining season-opening victory.

The performance also snapped LSU’s five-game losing streak in season openers, giving Brian Kelly and his squad an early morale boost. College football fans quickly took to social media to air their grievances about Clemson's HC.

“Dabo Swinney might be washed. These are the games he used to always win…” one fan wrote.

Another said, "every single year, I'm rooting for Dabo Swinney's downfall."

One X user tweeted, "I hate Brian Kelly, but I truly despise Dabo Swinney."

"I love to see a sad Dabo Swinney," tweeted another.

One more fan wrote, "Dabo Swinney is a C tier coach with a huge youth ministry budget."

"I can't believe Jesus turned his back on Dabo Swinney like that," commented another.

The loss extends Swinney’s streak to seven consecutive defeats against ranked SEC opponents. Clemson hasn’t beaten a ranked SEC team since taking down Texas A&M in 2019, raising more eyebrows about the Tigers’ ability to compete at the highest level.

Also read: "Dabo Swinney is a rat": LSU fans accuse Clemson HC of "snitching" after A.J. Haulcy gets suspended for first half in season opener

What worked for LSU against Dabo Swinney's Clemson?

LSU’s Week 1 victory at Memorial Stadium against Clemson was a defensive masterclass that exposed flaws in Dabo Swinney’s Tigers. Defensive coordinator Blake Baker has found his groove early after bolstering the roster via the NCAA Transfer Portal.

Linebacker Whit Weeks said the defense wanted to "wreak havoc," and that’s exactly what happened. LSU totaled four tackles for loss, two sacks, five pass breakups, and an interception, constantly shifting momentum in LSU’s favor.

On offense, Nussmeier spread the ball around, targeting nine different receivers, with Aaron Anderson pacing the group with 99 yards on six catches. Harold Perkins returned from a torn ACL to make an immediate impact, recording five tackles, 1.5 TFL, and a sack. Cornerback Mansoor Delane added two pass breakups and an interception.

A 1-0 start for the first time since 2019, Brian Kelly's LSU has sent a loud statement to the rest of college football.

Also read: CFB insider reveals biggest strength of Cade Klubnik & Co. as Dabo Swinney aim for national championship in 2025

About the author

Prasen is an NFL/College Sports analyst at Sportskeeda. A B.Tech/Civil Engineering graduate, he has two years of experience writing content.

For Prasen, providing historical angles relevant to the story is important, as it can give the reader useful information and help them relate it to the present. He thinks this keeps the content unique rather than just a bland reporting of facts. Prasen believes in fact-checking and researching relevant information as per the headline and context. He hates clickbait or misleading the reader.

A fan of the Colorado Buffaloes since Deion Sanders took over as coach, Prasen expects Coach Prime to make the Buffs a national championship contender. Nick Saban is his favorite all-time coach, while Baker Mayfield and Caitlin Clark are his favorite players. Prasen considers Vince Young coming up clutch for the Texas Longhorns in the dying seconds of the 2017 national championship game against the USC Trojans as the most iconic moment of all time.

Per Prasen, College Sports is competitive and garners attention but it is just the beginning, where a student-athlete can show their skills and potential to make it to the big leagues. When he is not researching and writing, Prasen’s hobbies include pursuing higher studies and playing sports.

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Edited by Prasen