RALEIGH, N.C. — It has been a long time since the Clemson Football program has been this bad.

Not since 2010, have the Tigers started a season 4-4. A Clemson team has not started an ACC season this bad since 1998, when those Tigers started the year 1-5 in conference play on their way to a 1-7 record.

However, this is not 2010. This is definitely not 1998.

The 2023 Clemson Tigers started the year as the defending ACC Champions. They started the year predicted by the media to win another league championship. They started the year ranked No. 9 in the Associated Press Preseason Poll and with expectations of making the College Football Playoff.

But this is not 1998. This is not 2010. Expectations for Clemson Football were not high back then. Not like this.

Clemson, who lost 24-17 at NC State on Saturday, does not look like Clemson at all.

Dabo Swinney built Clemson into a two-time national champion. He built Clemson into a program that went to six straight CFPs. He built Clemson into a program that has won eight ACC Championships in the last 12 years.

Swinney built Clemson into a program that found ways to win close games, not lose them.

Clemson is a shell of itself right now. And some wonder, including this writer, if the Tigers are ever going to find their way back.

Saturday’s loss to NC State (5-3, 2-2 ACC) looked exactly like the Tigers other three losses this season. For the most part they outplayed their opponent. For the most part they were the better team.

Then the bottom falls out.

Penalties in critical situations appear. Potential first-down passes are dropped and then a ball is tipped into the air and right into the arms of the opponent’s best player and returned for a touchdown.

We have all seen this movie over and over and over in 2023.

So, when will it end? Or will it.

“We are a team that is making too many critical mistakes and that is my responsibility, period,” Swinney said after the game. “This is really just tough to watch.”

Clemson (4-4, 2-4 ACC) outgained NC State 364-202. They held the ‘Pack to 64 rushing yards and to 3-of-13 on third down.

These are games Clemson usually dominates, not loses.

Wide receiver Troy Stellato said the Tigers are 4-4 and then he said, “Clemson should never be 4-4.”

But here we are. Clemson is 4-4 and things could get worse for it gets better.

“It is really painful. I don’t know what to tell you other than this is a really hurt football team,” Swinney said.

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