CLEMSON — Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney was not happy about the fans’ reaction to Saturday’s ruling on a crucial onside kick recovery that was reviewed by video replay.
It appeared Clemson’s Ronan Hanafin recovered the football following an onside kick by the Tigers after cutting Louisville’s lead to 12 points with six minutes to play in the game. However, officials on the field gave the football to the Cardinals.
Video replay in the stadium showed Hanafin with what appears to be a clear recovery of the football before rolling over onto his back with the ball in his arms. A pile of players then piled on him and started grabbing at the ball.
Replay officials ruled “the call on the fields stands” which subsequently led to Clemson fans, mostly from the student section, tossing trash on to the field.
“That is not who we are at Clemson,” Swinney said during his regular Sunday conference call. “I get it, but they need to let me deal with the refs. That is just not something we should do here at Clemson.
“So, hopefully, we will learn from that and that will not happen anymore.”
Louisville running back Isaac Brown scored on a 45-yard touchdown run on the next play, as the Cardinals defeated then No. 11 Clemson, 33-21, at Memorial Stadium.