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Booger McFarland weighs in on Dabo Swinney hot seat debate

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh4 hours agogriffin_mcveigh
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney dropped the Week 1 home opener to LSU (Photo: © Ken Ruinard - Imagn/Images, USA Today Network)
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney dropped the Week 1 home opener to LSU (Photo: © Ken Ruinard - Imagn/Images, USA Today Network)

Dabo Swinney finds himself a popular topic of conversation following two losses in three games from Clemson. The lone win was a sloppy one against Troy, sandwiched between defeats to LSU and Georgia Tech. For a team many predicted to win the national championship, their College Football Playoff chances continue to dwindle.

ESPN’s Booger McFarland wants to pump the brakes a little, though. At least when it comes to Swinney’s job potentially being in danger. Sure, expectations for the Tigers are high on a year-to-year basis, wanting to compete with the best programs out there. But McFarland points to the track record, saying it’s too good for Clemson to feel a little heat.

“Why are we trying to put Dabo on the warm seat?” McFarland asked on Pardon the Interruption. “Dabo has done enough. Now, it’s not good right now and he knows that. But if you look at Dabo’s resume, it’s been very successful. I think people in Clemson, and especially Clemson fans, they get a little spoiled.

“They want to win a national championship every year because of what Nick Saban did and the success Kirby Smart is having right now. But the success Clemson has had — there’s probably 100 programs around America… that would take that success. So, let’s back Dabo off the hot seat just a little bit.”

The chatter about Swinney might have taken place this past offseason if not for some late-year magic in favor of Clemson. A Syracuse win vs. Miami put the Tigers into the ACC Championship, a game they won against SMU for a ninth conference title under Swinney. A College Football Playoff birth was then earned before quickly getting bounced by Texas.

What turned into some grace quickly changed due to the 1-2 start in 2025. Swinney has some work to do in order to reach the heights everyone thought Clemson was capable of. However, McFarland is far from ready to suggest any kind of change should come. In his eyes, Swinney holds too much prior success in his back pocket.

You know the Tigers want to get back to winning right away, though. A path to the ACC Championship game still exists despite the Georgia Tech loss, beginning on Saturday against Syracuse. Four of the next six will be played at home, finishing the stretch on Nov. 8 with what could be a massive matchup against the Florida State Seminoles.