Dabo Swinney Talks Clemson's 'Heartbreaking Loss' to GT, 'Been Finding Ways to Lose'

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said Saturday his team needs to find a way to rally after a "heartbreaking" 24-21 loss at Georgia Tech.

Swinney compared the game, which ended with a walk-off field goal by Georgia Tech, to his team's season-opening loss to LSU.

"It's two games that have come down to the last play, and it just hasn't gone our way," Swinney said (h/t ClemsonTigerNet). "And it's my job to find a way to make those couple of plays. That's my job, and I take responsibility for that."

Swinney continued, "We've won a lot of close games around here, and right now, we're finding a way to not win these games."

Saturday's defeat dropped the Tigers' record to 1-2 heading in to next weekend's matchup with Syracuse.

This marks the first time since 2014 that Clemson has started out a season with a 1-2 record, per The Athletic's Grace Raynor. Swinney had been with the team for seven seasons at the time.

Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik started out Saturday's game with a fumble, allowing to Georgia Tech to get on the board first with a field goal. Tigers kicker Nolan Hauser then missed an opportunity for a 52-yard field goal later in the first.

Klubnik stumbled again in the third quarter with a red-zone interception, but Bryant Wesco Jr. recorded a 73-yard catch-and-run touchdown on the next possession to put the Tigers ahead.

Georgia Tech pulled ahead again with a late touchdown before Klubnik led the Tigers on a touchdown drive to tie the game with 3:26 left on the clock.

That was enough time for Georgia Tech to get the ball to the 55-yard line, from which Aidan Birr kicked the winning field goal as time expired.

Swinney acknowledged his offense's errors while defending Klubnik, especially his work on the fourth-quarter tying drive.

"He competed his butt off and gave us a chance to win. Gutsy, gutsy, gutsy drive," Swinney said about Klubnik. "Everything's kind of against you, down the stretch there, and some big plays."

Swinney said it was "important" for the next week for his team to stay away from "criticism" or "negativity" regarding the team's rough start to the season.

"Obviously, incredibly disappointed for our team... and I hurt for our fans, too, because they care," Swinney said. "It's not the start we wanted, but we've got to stay together and we've got to fight our way out. You know that's one play at a time, one game at a time.

"That's all we can do. We can't do anything about what has happened. All we can do is just keep working."

Syracuse will head into next weekend's matchup riding the momentum of a 66-24 blowout victory over Colgate on Friday. The two ACC opponents are set to kick off next Saturday at noon E.T. in Clemson Memorial Stadium.