Clemson struggles with penalties, execution after bye week

Dabo Swinney and unranked Clemson have already all but dismissed any College Football Playoff aspirations, as the Tigers’ two losses to Georgia and N.C. State put them firmly out of playoff contention. Somehow, things almost got worse for Clemson in Week 7.

On Friday night, Clemson’s season nearly took another tumble, as the Tigers barely snuck past the Syracuse Orange. Swinney’s team won just 17-14 after Syracuse placekicker Andre Szymt missed a game-tying, 48-yard field goal attempt with 38 seconds left.

The 2021 season has been a downright disappointment for Swinney and Clemson, and Friday night was no different. Quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei, who once had Heisman Trophy aspirations, completed just 21 of 34 passing attempts for 181 yards and one touchdown, finishing with a QBR of 43.8. Clemson converted on just five of 15 third-down attempts; it had just 198 total passing yards and 116 total rushing yards. But crucial penalties, which resulted in seven flags for 60 yards, nearly cost Clemson the game.

“It’s critical,” Swinney said of Clemson’s penalty woes postgame. You’re offsides, you’re holding. Third-and-12, you’re late to some adjustments. Just some penalty stuff that was costly in critical times. We were not the least penalized team tonight, that’s part of our plan to win.”

What’s worse for Swinney and Clemson is that Syracuse hardly looked any better. The Orange managed to go toe-for-toe with the once-mighty Tigers, despite converting on just five of 15 third-down conversions, totaling 191 passing yards and 191 rushing yards. Syracuse threw an interception, too, the only turnover of the game, but managed to come within a field goal of overtime.

“We overcame it, and that’s a result of points off of turnovers and special teams made the difference for us tonight,” Swinney continued. “We made the kick, the didn’t. We obviously had a big conversion. Penalties are frustrating. And it’s just some execution, some missed plays. Just flat out missed plays that frustrate you.”

Clemson’s schedule may not look the part, but the scoreboards suggest that the Tigers have run the gauntlet in their three games prior to Syracuse. They hardly snuck past Georgia Tech on Sept. 18, winning 14-8, then came their College Football Playoff-killing loss to N.C. State, a 27-21 loss on Sept. 25. Against Boston College on Oct. 2, Clemson again barely won, pulling away just 19-13. Swinney took his team into a much-needed bye week before the Syracuse game; but as he soon learned, Clemson’s execution — as the penalties would suggest — did not improve despite a week of rest.

Surely, as the Tigers exit Week 7, they feel thankful to have not fallen to .500. But things won’t get any easier for Swinney next week, and Clemson will have to fix both its penalty and execution issues before facing a dangerous, 4-1 Pittsburgh team.