A number of different mistakes and costly errors have hurt Clemson this season, but head coach Dabo Swinney doesn’t believe discipline — or lack thereof — is one of his team’s problems amid a 4-3 (2-3 ACC) start.

“No, it hasn’t been discipline. That hasn’t been an issue with this team,” Swinney said following his team’s 28-20, double-overtime loss at Miami.

Swinney was specifically asked about the apparent lack of discipline that showed up in one particular key moment during the game, when cornerback Nate Wiggins was jawing at a receiver and could have gotten an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty following a third-down stop on Miami’s possession that ended with the game-tying field goal late in the fourth quarter.

Swinney called that “a frustrating moment,” but said he doesn’t feel the team has been undisciplined.

“That was just a bad moment with a guy that got kind of emotional and out of himself, but he’s been very disciplined all year,” Swinney said.

“We’ve been a pretty disciplined team for the most part,” he continued. “We haven’t been a team with a billion penalties and things like that.”

Though penalties may not be plaguing the Tigers, turnovers obviously are.

After turning the ball over three more times against the Hurricanes, Clemson currently ranks tied for 101st in the country with 13 total turnovers on the season. That includes 10 lost fumbles, more than any other team in the FBS.

“It’s just been turnovers. I mean, just simple as that. We have been atrocious, I mean atrocious,” Swinney said. “And not only turnovers, but the type of turnovers and where they’ve been – red zone, first-and-goals on the 1, you name it. So, it’s just crazy.”

After the loss to Miami, Swinney said his “heart hurts for everybody, but I’m responsible.”

“I’m responsible,” he repeated. “This is a team, and I’ve got to help them, I’ve got to pick them up. It’s a hurt group of guys in there, and I know they care. They work their butts off. Nobody wants to win more than them, and it’s just unfortunate. So, it’s football. This is one of those years that we just can’t seem to get out of our own way. So, gotta keep pushing.”

Clemson will try to even up its record in conference play on Saturday against NC State (4-3, 1-2 ACC). Kickoff at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh is set for 2 p.m., and the game will be televised on The CW Network.

We have just added a new special to our store. Get the Two Pack of signed footballs from Clemson’s 2022 and 2023 classes and save $75. Thanks for your support of Clemson football.