Clemson's 2023 College Football Season Starts with a Disheartening 28-7 Loss to Duke

Following the game, head coach Dabo Swinney expressed his profound disappointment, stating, 'It's an incredibly disappointing loss, honestly, in all my years of football. I've never been part of a game like that, ever. I've been here at Clemson for a long time. Since I've been the head coach, we were 58-0 when we rushed for 200 yards and passed for 200. In Clemson's history, we were 108-0—never lost, ever.'

Despite amassing 422 total offensive yards during the game, Clemson's downfall came from turnovers and struggles in the red zone. In the second half, where the team failed to score, Clemson had five consecutive drives ending with a blocked field goal, two fumbles within the seven-yard line, an interception, and a turnover on downs. On three separate occasions, including the two fumbles, the Tigers were unable to convert after advancing the ball within the 10-yard line.

Coach Swinney emphasized, 'We're not entitled to win; we've got to earn it. We had plenty of opportunities to take control of the game on multiple occasions, and we just didn't. That's how you get beaten.'