Refocus and Reset: Swinney Challenges Tigers to ‘Win the Month’ of November
After a much-needed open date, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney says his team has one clear goal for the stretch run — win November.
Speaking Monday night on Tiger Hour with Dabo Swinney, the longtime Clemson coach struck an optimistic but grounded tone as the Tigers prepare to host Duke this Saturday in Memorial Stadium. Clemson enters the month at 3–4, but Swinney’s focus was squarely on opportunity rather than disappointment.
“We’re not going to win the ACC this year, but we’ve won it a bunch,” Swinney said. “We’re not going to go to the playoff this year, but we’ve been the second most times. You can focus on the things you can’t do, or you can focus on all the good things. There’s still a lot we can do. We can still go have a great November.”
The Tigers have five games in November, beginning with Duke before matchups against Florida State, Louisville, Furman, and rival South Carolina. Swinney called the month “a new season” — a final chance for this group to set a lasting tone.
“We’ve got five opportunities in November, and we’ve got to take advantage of them one at a time,” he said. “We’ve got to kick this month off the right way.”
Clemson last took the field two weeks ago in a 35–24 loss to SMU, a game in which big defensive breakdowns proved costly. The Tigers enter the Duke matchup looking to clean up those issues and regain the consistency that carried them to a 10–4 record in 2024.
Swinney said Monday’s practice reflected the team’s renewed mindset.
“The guys came in good spirits today and just finished up practice here,” he said. “It was good to get back in the fight with the guys. We’re off to a good start.”
Clemson has historically been strong coming off open dates under Swinney — 9–1 in games following a bye since 2015. The staff spent the off week emphasizing situational discipline, tackling consistency, and ball security — areas that have fluctuated throughout 2025.
Asked what must change for Clemson to “be the best version of ourselves,” Swinney was clear: run the football, improve pass defense, and create takeaways.
“We’ve got to run the ball more effectively,” he said. “Defensively, we’ve got to be better in pass defense, and we’ve got to take the ball away. We’ve got to win the margin.”
Still, the veteran coach isn’t ready to write off a team he believes is close.
“It’s not too late to be the best version of ourselves,” he said. “Nobody feels sorry for Clemson. You’re going to get everybody’s best shot, because we’ve won this league eight out of ten years. We’ve got to show up and play to the standard.”
Clemson’s first challenge of the final month comes against a Duke offense averaging 463.3 yards and 33.9 points per game. Swinney called Duke’s quarterback “the most complete we’ve seen” and praised the Blue Devils’ balance and efficiency.
“We’ll have our hands full,” he said. “They’re very efficient on offense. We’ve got to make them snap it one more time and find a way to turn them over.”
Kickoff between Clemson (3–4, 2–3 ACC) and Duke (4–3, 3–1 ACC) is set for Saturday, Nov. 1, at Memorial Stadium. The Tigers will be looking not just for a win — but a reset.
“We’ve got to focus on the right things,” Swinney said. “There’s still a lot to play for, and a lot to be thankful for.”
