Clemson’s Week 1 blowout loss to LSU was so bad, one prominent college football voice said it was enough to fire coach Dabo Swinney.
Clemson was embarrassed in Lane Kiffin’s LSU debut, losing 51-10 in what was the worst loss in the Swinney era, which began in 2008.
There was some belief Clemson could be in for a bounce back season after it won just seven games in 2025, the lowest number since 2010. But after the pure beatdown it suffered, it looks like there is no bounce back in store for the Tigers, leading to ESPN personality Paul Finebaum saying if he were Swinney’s boss, he would let him go.
“It’s over,” Finebaum said on “Get Up” on Monday, Sept. 7. “There’s no turning back. I’m not suggesting he’s going to get fired. Although I would fire him if I were the AD after that. There’s just no excuse for that.
“If you’re a high school player, why would you go there? If you are in the portal, why would you go there?” he added.
It’s not the first time Finebaum has called for Swinney to leave Clemson. Before the season, he told USA TODAY Sports’ Blake Toppmeyer it felt like Swinney was in “the later stages of a stale marriage” and he could benefit from a fresh start somewhere else.
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Lane Kiffin’s debut as LSU coach vs. Clemson in photos
LSU Tigers linebacker Whit Weeks (7) shakes hands with fans before the game against Clemson Tigers at Tiger Stadium.
(Stephen Lew, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Lane Kiffin’s debut as LSU coach vs. Clemson in photos
LSU Tigers linebacker Whit Weeks (7) shakes hands with fans before the game against Clemson Tigers at Tiger Stadium.
(Stephen Lew, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Lane Kiffin’s debut as LSU coach vs. Clemson in photos
There is a lightning delay before the game between the LSU Tigers and the Clemson Tigers at Tiger Stadium.
(Stephen Lew, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Lane Kiffin’s debut as LSU coach vs. Clemson in photos
LSU Tigers cheerleaders walk up Victory Hill before the game against Clemson Tigers at Tiger Stadium.
(Stephen Lew, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Lane Kiffin’s debut as LSU coach vs. Clemson in photos
Social media personality Olivia Dunne and former LSU Tigers gymnastics athlete hugs a a fan before the game against Clemson Tigers at Tiger Stadium.
(Stephen Lew, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Lane Kiffin’s debut as LSU coach vs. Clemson in photos
American stand-up comedian and podcaster Theo Von poses for fans before the between the LSU Tigers and the Clemson Tigers at Tiger Stadium.
(Stephen Lew, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Lane Kiffin’s debut as LSU coach vs. Clemson in photos
A Mike the Tiger float moves up Victory Hill for first time before the game between the LSU Tigers and the Clemson Tigers at Tiger Stadium.
(Stephen Lew, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Lane Kiffin’s debut as LSU coach vs. Clemson in photos
LSU Tigers cheerleaders walk up Victory Hill before the game against Clemson Tigers at Tiger Stadium.
(Stephen Lew, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Lane Kiffin’s debut as LSU coach vs. Clemson in photos
The Budweiser Clydesdales march up Victory Hill for first time before the game between the LSU Tigers and the Clemson Tigers at Tiger Stadium.
(Stephen Lew, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
If Swinney were to get fired, it be a costly decision for Clemson. His buyout would amount to $57 million if the university fired him without cause on or before Dec. 31, 2026, according to a copy of his contract obtained by USA TODAY Sports.
If Clemson fired Swinney without cause beginning on Jan. 1, 2027, the money due to him would be “the sum of the remaining base salary and supplemental compensation that would otherwise have been due” to him, plus an amount equal to the royalties that would have been payable to him.
Swinney boasts a resume that includes a 187–55 record with two national championships, seven College Football Playoff apperances and nine ACC titles in 18 seasons with Clemson.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Paul Finebaum: ‘I would fire’ Dabo Swinney after Clemson blowout loss
