Clemson’s head coach, Dabo Swinney, experienced an unprecedented upset as his Tigers fell to Duke with a final score of 28-7 in Monday’s game. This marked Duke’s first victory against an AP top-10 opponent since 1989, but what truly baffled Swinney was not the loss itself but the manner in which it unfolded, especially during their season-opening ACC showdown.
The statistics are eye-opening: Clemson had four opportunities in the red zone and entered Duke territory on eight out of 13 offensive drives, yet they managed to score just seven points. Swinney, known for his successful tenure at Clemson, expressed his astonishment at his team’s dismal performance, stating, “It was routine stuff. The basics. The fundamentals. Ball handling. Just some basic, basic stuff.”
This unexpected turn of events unfolded in the first game under new offensive coordinator Garrett Riley, where Clemson outgained Duke both in the air and on the ground. Despite their statistical advantages, Clemson struggled to convert opportunities into points, ultimately leading to their downfall.
Swinney also pointed out that Clemson had previously boasted a perfect record of 108-0 when passing and rushing for at least 200 yards, making this loss even more confounding.
In the coach’s own words, “It’s almost indescribable, what I just saw… it’s incredibly frustrating when you have so much opportunity and you get nothing.”
The game featured a series of pivotal mistakes for Clemson. They saw a field goal attempt blocked, allowed a punt return fumble, and suffered a crucial fumble at the goal line. These errors proved costly as Duke capitalized on the opportunities presented to them, securing their most significant victory over Clemson in decades.
The unexpected upset has left Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers grappling with disappointment and frustration, as they now face the challenging task of regrouping and rebounding from this shocking loss.
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