Dabo Swinney’s First-Of-Its-Kind Clemson Target Meets CBS’ Surprising Verdict

Dabo Swinney oozes confidence in his very swagger. Why not? Didn’t he break a century-old record by going 15-0 in 2018, and winning the natty? Yeah, that was a major ‘Aha’ moment, boosting his resume. His reaction? “We were the first 15-0 team in the history of major college football ever.” The 2018 season also saw Swinney’s defense racking up the No. 1 spot. So, the momentum for the upcoming years was set. But it’s not always a cake walk, and the 2025 season seems nowhere close to a guaranteed joyride.

Over the years, a few minor wrinkles emerged, but overall, a consistent 9+ winning streak kept the Tigers’ fandom loyal to Swinney. Last season went great, where they were edged out by the Texas Longhorns. But only if it could dampen the spirits at the Memorial Stadium. Going into the 2025 season, he is confident. “I’ve had one undefeated team… And I think we’re going to be the first 16-0 team. It’s a race to do that.” There it is. The raw optimism is pumping through the Tigers’ roster. Well, the chatter for a 16-team playoff is growing louder, and with that, Tom Fornelli has a blunt reality in store for Swinney. So, what’s the scoop?

In an interview segment with CBS Sports, Tom Fornelli was asked about his take on Swinney’s 2025 target, and let’s just say, it wasn’t what the fandom wanted to listen to.“I look at this Clemson team, and I look at the schedule, and honestly, it’s not just a Clemson thing. I think if you look at the way college football is working now, where you got the 12-team college football playoff, it could expand to 16 at some point in the future.” Well, the chatter for a 16-team playoff is only getting louder. The reigning ACC champion, SMU’s Rhett Lashlee, is calling for it.

Tom went on by saying, “I mean, we should probably never say never, but I think the idea of anybody being able to get through an entire regular season, especially with the way that the SEC and the Big 10 have kind of amassed all the premier programs in the country into two conferences, anybody being able to get through without losing a single game is going to be a very rare feat for anybody.” The competition is already tough. Most competitive conference champions like the Buckeyes or Georgia, even they are not able to stack up a clean swipe.

Fornelli then concluded with a clean swipe. “So, I love the enthusiasm. Shocker of all shocks. Dabo is enthusiastic about his football team, but I think he should just worry about winning the ACC and then winning a playoff game instead of going undefeated.” So, can the Tigers keep focused on their 16-0 record? What is it that’s making Dabo Swinney confident?

Dabo Swinney, Kade Klubnik and the 16-0 aim

Look at just last season, the Tigers went well, posted a 10-4. But the first playoff game opener was a spoiler. Lost to Texas with 24-38. Talk about the season opener against Georgia? A poor 3-34 defeat. But then, again, Clemson has got a major of its production returning as compared to any other Division I program, and Swinney’s star QB Cade Klubnik is leading the charge. And that guy is already pulling in major ‘main-character’ energy. Projected as the No. 1 Heisman contender, he also got into the Manning Award watchlist. There is optimism shining bright at the campus.

Now, they will kick off their season against LSU. Last year, they got defeated by the very team with a 21-33 record, and it was a home game. And moving further deep into their schedule, it seems a pretty difficult one. “…it’s [Clemson] scheduled to play many of the other top teams in the ACC along with a season opener against LSU; The Tigers have an ACC title game rematch with SMU in Week 8, a revenge opportunity against Louisville in Week 12, and not many opponents that are projected to be near the bottom of the league,” as Chip Patterson put it. UNC, Syracuse, South Carolina, and Florida State to name a few.

But then again, Dabo Swinney also cleared out his stance, right? “It’s a race to do it. I believe we can do it,” he said August 6. “I don’t know if this team will do it.” Let’s see what the 2025 season brings along for the Tigers.

The post Dabo Swinney’s First-Of-Its-Kind Clemson Target Meets CBS’ Surprising Verdict appeared first on EssentiallySports.