Meeting with the media after Wednesday’s practice, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney gave his assessment of the Tigers’ performance at Duke on Monday night after watching film from the 28-7 loss in Durham.

“I mean you know, as I said the other night, it was a strange game but I am incredibly encouraged,” Swinney said. “The things that you need to see to win football games — physicality, toughness, the ability to run the ball, throw the ball, play good defense — we did all the things that we need to do from that standpoint. We just didn’t… there’s no gimmes in football. We just have to stand up there and knock the six-inch putt in.”

Clemson managed to score only one touchdown in the game and wasn’t able to put any points on the board in the second half despite three straight drives inside Duke’s 10-yard line to open the second half, with those drives ending in a blocked field goal attempt and two lost fumbles.

The Tigers totaled 422 yards of offense against the Blue Devils, including 213 rushing yards and 209 passing yards. But Monday night was Clemson’s first loss in program history when surpassing 200 yards both rushing and passing.

“So, just some self-inflicted wounds,” Swinney said. “Those are painful lessons. It is hard to do something for the first time in 127 years, you know, but we did it.

“But I am proud with what I saw on tape. We have won a lot of games around here where when I watched the tape I wasn’t real happy. But everything that I wanted to see as far as how we play and what leads to winning, I saw that.”

Swinney added that the Tigers “were in position to win” Monday’s season opener, which they led 7-6 at halftime before Duke scored 22 unanswered points after the break.

“If we do what we did offensively for the rest of the year, we won’t lose another game,” Swinney said.

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