Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney had a clear message for his team.
The Clemson Tigers had a disappointing 2025 season, going 7-5 with a 4-4 record in conference play. They did not make it to the ACC Championship Game and were nowhere close to making it to the College Football Playoff.
Clemson will play in one final game this season, against Penn State in the Pinstripe Bowl. However, the Tigers won't be at full strength as 28 players are set to sit out.
“We still got enough," head coach Dabo Swinney said. “Nobody cares who’s in, who’s out. It’s about the guys who are here.”
This is a strong message from Swinney and the right mentality to have heading into their final game of the season.
While Clemson didn't have a strong season, they have a chance to finish on a high note with a win over Penn State.
The Nittany Lions came into the season as one of the best teams in college football and a favorite to win the National Championship, but fell around midseason. Penn State enters its bowl matchup with a 6-6 record and a 3-6 record in conference play.
They fired head coach James Franklin midseason and have hired Iowa State's Matt Campbell as their next head coach. However, it won't be Campbell on the sideline against Clemson, as interim coach Terry Smith, who took over for Franklin, will continue to lead the team.
Although this game is not how either team anticipated ending their season, winning could give them momentum as they head into the 2026 season.
Swinney and the Tigers have a lot of work to do to get better for the 2026 campaign. Clemson will need to be active in the transfer portal despite doing so in a limited capacity previously.
The Tigers will also look to have some success in recruiting talented players from high school. Clemson has been one of the most successful teams in college football over the past decade. They have made it to four National Championship Games since 2015 and won two of them.
Swinney and the Tigers will look to reset this offseason and get back to their winning ways in the 2026 season.