Paul Finebaum calls Dabo Swinney a 'terrible loser' after Clemson's loss to N.C. State

ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum did not hold back his criticism of Dabo Swinney after the Clemson Tigers lost in astonishing, 27-21, overtime fashion to the N.C. State Wolfpack on Saturday.

“Dabo Swinney, for all of his charm, is a pretty lousy loser,” Finebaum said. “Nobody wants to hear his wine, nobody really wants to hear him say whatever he says. He’s a good winner — well, he’s not even a good winner. But he’s a terrible loser.”

With the loss, Swinney and Clemson picked up their second loss in just four games, and it fell to No. 25 in the AP top-25 poll. With the demotion in the polls, Clemson’s 97-week streak in the AP top-25 — which was tied with Alabama for the longest current run in college football and the second-longest in the history of the AP poll (behind just Miami’s 137 in the 1980s) — was snapped.

“I really do think it starts at the offensive line position,” Finebaum said of Swinney’s struggles. “I heard Dabo a month ago saying, ‘we are much better at the offensive line. I really like this offensive line.’ If he likes that offensive line, he likes bad football because they can’t block anything. They’re done for the season; it doesn’t matter who’s left.”

N.C. State forced Swinney’s quarterback, D.J. Uiagalelei, into a fourth-down incompletion to clinch the overtime win, and Uiagalelei’s inability to pull Clemson back into the game was consistent with his play all night. Uiagalelei managed to complete just 12 of his 27 passing attempts, throwing for 111 yards in the air, two passing touchdowns and one interception, finishing with a quarterback rating below 50.

“Really, since the Georgia game a month ago, we’ve been talking about [Clemson’s] issues, especially on the offensive line, D.J. [Uiagalelei] being shaky and not being Trevor Lawrence and they kept willing their way through,” Finebaum said. “You knew this was a trap game, but you kept thinking to yourself, ‘N.C. State — didn’t they just lose to Mississippi State, which has lost to pretty much everyone now?’ I mean, what an epic game.”

Clemson’s rushing attack was no more effective than Uiagalelei under center, as Uiagalelei happened to also be Swinney’s leading rusher with nine carries for 63 rushing yards. Freshman Will Shipley, who had 11 carries, only turned it into a meager 36 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown.

“They have come so close, so many times. Four or five years ago they had the game won until the final four or five seconds,” Finebaum said of Swinney and Clemson. “I think the real question that has to be asked now is where does this Clemson program go? And I’m not suggesting the dynasty of the last six years is over. But if you’re a 17-year-old making a commitment, and you’ve got all the usual suspects, that program just doesn’t look the same today.”

Swinney’s Clemson defense struggled, too, as N.C. State quarterback Devin Leary was able to throw for 237 passing yards and four passing touchdowns, while completing 32 of 44 passing attempts. The Wolfpack ran for 148 yards in addition to their successful day in the air.