Swinney among coaches facing potential firing

Jeff Hauser

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Clemson's Dabo Swinney might be the next high-profile coach to be fired image

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney may soon find himself on the hot seat after another disappointing performance from the Tigers. 

After a bye week following a loss to SMU, Clemson couldn't afford another letdown. But the 46-45 home loss to Duke on Saturday put Swinney's team in a box. 

Instead of coming out firing, the Tigers fell into a 21-7 first-quarter deficit before staging a comeback to take a 28-28 tie at halftime. They eventually lost the shootout due to a few calls down the stretch, which send Swinney into a shouting match with the ACC officials. This wasn't his first outburst either. 

Television cameras captured Swinney in a heated sideline tirade, visibly shaking and shouting at his players in frustration. The meltdown quickly spread across social media and let fans go off on Swinney's lack of awareness. 

At 3-5 overall and 2-4 in ACC play, the Tigers’ postseason hopes are fading fast. Just as much as Swinney's changes of being at Clemson in 2026. What once felt like an untouchable situation now seems to be unavoidable. 

More: Dabo Swinney’s ‘credibility’ won’t save him in college football’s new era

Swinney’s future at Clemson appears to be in question amid rising unrest. But will the school’s administration listen to the calls for changes? This is a pivotal time for the program, and really unprecedented during Swinney's tenure. 

One of the biggest hurdles in the situation is a $60 million buyout. Not the top in the country, but would definitely be a tough pill to swallow for Clemson. 

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Senior Editor