Swinney Makes ACC History
By: Robert MacRae October 5, 2024

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney made ACC history on Saturday night.

With the 15th-ranked Tigers’ 29-13 win over Florida State on Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium, Swinney surpassed the legendary Seminoles head coach on the playing surface that bears his name.

Swinney earned his 174th career win on Saturday, moving past Bowden for the conference record for career head coaching victories with a program in the ACC.

A College Football Hall of Famer, Bowden recorded 377 NCAA-recognized wins, but notched 173 of those victories while leading the Seminoles when they joined the ACC in 1992 up until the time he retired in 2009.

Swinney certainly won’t take breaking Bowden’s record, and being mentioned with the college football icon, for granted.

“I am just thankful to be a part of something like that, I think Coach Bowden is probably smiling,” Swinney said last Saturday, after notching win No. 173 with Clemson’s 40-14 victory over Stanford at Memorial Stadium.

“Again, I still got voicemails on my phone from him. He would call me and encourage me long after he was through. He came here when he was 90 or 91 and did a chapel for us. So, just a great man. Great family, and I am honored to even be in a conversation with anything Bobby Bowden.”

Swinney, now in his 17th season as Clemson’s head coach, also passed the career win totals of two other College Football Hall of Famers – Robert Neyland (173-31-12) and Frank Solich (173-101).

Following a historic win for Swinney over the Noles, his Tigers (4-1, 3-0 ACC) will hit the road again next week and try to earn their fifth straight victory this season when they face Wake Forest on Saturday in Winston-Salem, N.C. (12 p.m., ESPN).