Dabo Swinney recalls DJ Uiagalelei's performance against Notre Dame in 2020

No. 5 Clemson is set to travel to Notre Dame this weekend, reprising a series that has had some riveting games over the past several years. One of those was a real arrival of sorts for Tigers quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, then a freshman quarterback filling in for Trevor Lawrence in just his second career start as a freshman in 2020.

The two programs met in the regular season in 2020, with Notre Dame temporarily joining the ACC due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Uiagalelei was thrust into action with Lawrence sidelined under COVID-19 protocols.

“Man, he was just amazing,” coach Dabo Swinney recalled this week. “I just remember the big plays, how he kept his poise, how he led. I mean he was awesome. I mean it was a great night. He had a couple big plays to Cornell (Powell), in particular, that I remember.”

Notre Dame wound up winning 47-40 in double overtime, finally able to get to Uiagalelei for a couple sacks in the second overtime period, keeping the Tigers from matching a Fighting Irish touchdown.

But Uiagalelei finished the game 29-of-44 passing for 439 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also added a rushing touchdown.

Many thought the Tigers were set for a seamless transition into the post-Lawrence era.

“It just wasn’t too big for him,” Swinney said. “Obviously he’d gotten a chance to play against Boston College the week before, so it wasn’t the first time for him to run out there. But he just executed the plan well and made a bunch of big plays.”

DJ Uiagalelei’s potential was clear in that Notre Dame loss

Notre Dame would win the regular-season meeting in that double-overtime contest, then beat Clemson again in the ACC title game to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff.

This time it’s the Tigers who are in the hunt for a playoff spot.

It’s fun to recall that game two years ago, though. It seems like a lifetime ago, with masks on the sidelines and the “injury” report each week a not-so-fun game of “hold your breath and hope no one else tests positive.”

Swinney remembers another quirk.

“I remember the, I guess the second overtime there where they called us in, right, and then reviewed it,” Swinney said, referring to a Powell reception from Uiagalelei that would ultimately go down for a 24-yard gain on the first play of the first overtime.

“They called us out and reviewed it and said we were in, I think, gave us a touchdown. Then we’re getting ready to kick the extra point and they called timeout again, we’re going to review the review. You remember that?”

Instead of Powell being awarded the touchdown, the ball was marked at the 1-yard line after a long, long set of reviews.

“That was a first. I think that was the first time in the history of football that they reviewed the review,” Swinney said. “They said, ‘No, we didn’t mean it. Now you’ve got to do it again.’ We were able to get it in there at the end.

The grittiness Uiagalelei showed, thrust into the spotlight in only his second start, against the nation’s No. 4 team, remains fresh in Swinney’s mind.

“But anyway, he was great. Lot of big plays that he made,” the Clemson coach said. “He made some beautiful throws and did everything he could to give us a chance and we came up short. It was a heck of a game and a tough one to lose.”

Now Notre Dame will get a significantly more seasoned Uiagalelei on Saturday. The two teams are scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff in South Bend, with a national broadcast on NBC.