In modern football, this looked like a sure go-for-it situation.
But Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney doesn't always stick with modern football convention.
It was fourth-and-5, so Swinney opted for a punt, despite the Tigers being at the attacking 40-yard line and trailing Syracuse.
The punt went for a touchback, making it even worse, just a 20-yard net.
LOL Clemson surrender punt on 4th and 5 at the 40 and touchback. I didn't think this team was going to be as good as most did entering the season and they are incredibly worse than even I could have imagined.
— Chris Fallica (@chrisfallica) September 20, 2025
MORE: The Dylan Raiola and Patrick Mahomes comparison
That's a big reason teams don't punt from there. Any touchback makes the punt feel almost pointless.
But it's what Swinney called for, and it summed up the differences in coaching philosophy on Saturday.
Syracuse's Fran Brown called for a surprise onside kick after the Orange opened the game with a touchdown. SU recovered, then converted on a fourth down before eventually getting a field goal for an early 10-0 lead.
Brown didn't shy away from aggressive choices the rest of the first half as Syracuse took a 24-14 lead to the break.
There's no telling what Clemson would've done if they went for it and converted, but instead, they waved the temporary white flag.
At the end of the first half, Clemson seemed to butcher its chance to either attempt a long field goal or gain a bit more yardage with a timeout, instead settling for a Hail Mary pass that ended harmlessly.
The Tigers could certainly use a wiser half out of Swinney and the whole squad when they come back out of the locker room.
MORE: Iowa QB Mark Gronowski set two records in clutch win