Dabo Swinney’s season-opening 17-10 loss to LSU felt heavier than the one-score margin suggested. The Tigers reached the red zone twice and came away with two field goals, finishing 0-for-3 on third-and-long in the fourth quarter. Cade Klubnik completed 19-of-38 passes for 230 yards and an interception, while the ground game stalled at 31 yards on 20 carries. LSU, meanwhile, relied on a balanced attack and a late 75-yard touchdown march to seal it. For a Clemson offense that returned eight starters, the sputtering debut was a jolt.

Clemson HC Dabo Swinney openly critiqued QB Cade Klubnik’s response to LSU’s pressure: “For some reason, he got flustered. He scrambled out of the pocket when he didn’t need to… We just didn’t do a good job of executing our plan going into the game.” LS

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