AUSTIN, Texas – After Clemson’s 38-24 loss to Texas on Saturday night in the first round of the College Football Playoff, Dabo Swinney left his team’s locker room in noticeably good spirits.

Part of that was because of who Swinney is – an eternal optimist.

Part of that came from a place of reflection — no one expected Clemson to sneak into the first 12-team playoffs as a No. 12 seed after the Tigers lost to rival South Carolina, their third loss of the regular season before they squeezed into the ACC title game and won it. On Saturday, Clemson fought to the end on the road against No. 5 Texas.

And that was partly because Swinney knows what’s coming: Most of his team will return in 2025, likely including five-star quarterback Cade Klubnik.

But while Swinney smiled and even cracked a few jokes, the 55-year-old was still aware of what many of his followers were surely thinking.

Clemson’s place in college football also concerns him.

“We have to improve everywhere if we want to be at the top,” Swinney said. “We were good enough to make the playoffs, good enough to win the league, but not good enough to win everything.

“We have a chance to be a really, really good football team, to grow and get better. … It’s my job to make sure we do that.”

That’s the prevailing thought surrounding a Clemson program that once again finds itself at a crossroads. The Tigers appeared in the four-team playoffs six straight times from 2015 to 2020, winning two national championships, while Swinney built Clemson alongside Alabama as one of the sport’s premier programs. But the regression since then has been remarkable. And after Saturday, the Tigers are still looking for answers. Klubnik and the offense did everything they could to keep Clemson in the game, but were let down (again) by a defense that couldn’t find a way to stop the Texas running game.

“It stinks, but we’ll build on it. “This will just be another step in the direction we want to go, which is to get back to the top of the mountain,” Swinney said. “You have to put yourself in the position – that’s what we did. And you have to learn and grow – that’s what we do.”

The Longhorns outclassed the Tigers at the top and finished the night with 292 rushing yards – the most Clemson has given up in a single game since 2014 against Georgia and star running back Todd Gurley. Jaydon Blue rushed for 146 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries, including a 77-yard touchdown run that all but sealed Clemson’s fate in the fourth quarter. Quintrevion Wisner scored 110 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns of his own.

“The edges – they did a really good job,” Clemson defensive tackle Payton Page said. “Props to her.”

Clemson adjusted well in the third quarter, giving up just 3.1 yards per carry after Texas finished the first half averaging 6.7 yards per carry. But the fourth quarter caused problems again, especially when Blue launched a 77-yard run just 50 seconds into the game, a few seconds after Clemson had made it a one-score game with about 12 minutes to play.

The Tigers entered Saturday having struggled with the run all year, especially considering they gave up 288 yards on the ground against The Citadel (an FCS team) and 267 against rival South Carolina . But Saturday’s defensive woes sparked questions for Swinney about the future of his defensive coordinator, Wes Goodwin, whom he promoted from behind-the-scenes analyst to one of the biggest jobs in college football three years ago when Brent Venables left to become Oklahoma’s head coach take on the coaching job.

The Tigers have plenty of talent on defense with several former five-stars, but looked mismatched compared to the units Venables fielded.

Swinney dismissed the idea of ​​any impending personnel changes, saying he’s “not worried about any of those things.” After three sputtering seasons in the post-Trevor Lawrence era, the offense finally found its stride this year under second-year coordinator Garrett Riley. The defense may require further consideration.

Goodwin had no choice but to speak like someone expecting a return, but acknowledged his unit’s shortcomings and said the “little things” were hampering the Tigers.

“In January we will do our end-of-year self-scout review and just look at all the issues and issues and how teams have attacked us. … You can just see the trends and stuff,” Goodwin said.

“Just evaluate it all with the team, (look at) the breakdown by areas, fronts, personnel, groupings, etc., do a thorough assessment and then set the plan for February and how we get better from it and attack this plan.”

As the Tigers return to Clemson and look ahead to the offseason instead of traveling to the Peach Bowl in nearby Atlanta, Swinney and the Tigers understand their standard is different because of the program’s recent precedent. For most programs, 10 wins and a playoff appearance would be enough.

Swinney signed two transfer portal players this week — including Purdue star edge rusher Will Heldt — showing he’s ready to navigate college football’s current landscape (at his own pace). But he still needs to assess Clemson’s problems and where his program is headed.

Klubnik — who finished the night completing 26 of 43 passes for 336 yards and three touchdowns against one interception upon his return to his hometown — politely declined to answer his future. If he returns and Clemson masters its defense, the Tigers should enter the 2025 season with a chance to be competitive again.

How competitive it remains remains to be seen. But the Tigers seem to know the pressure is on.

“I know times are tough,” star linebacker Barrett Carter said in a direct conversation with Clemson fans after the final game of his college career. “I know you all wanted more from us. But the love has always been there unconditionally and I just hope you continue to support us.”

(Photo: Tim Warner/Getty Images)