CLEMSON — Following last year’s 7-6 campaign, plus Clemson’s turbulent 1-1 start to the 2026 football season, the pressure of being the Tigers’ head coach has never been higher.

Expectations at Clemson are always to win and win at a high level. It is what Clemson does. It is why Clemson has been one of the premiere college football programs for decades.

And though know other coach has won at the level Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney has won at, even with two national championships and nine ACC titles, he can’t escape the pressure that comes with being the head ball coach when things are not going well.

Swinney was asked following Saturday’s 28-20 win over North Carolina if he ever feels the pressure at Clemson, and if so, how does he handle it?

“God’s on the throne. Football does not define me,” Swinney said. “Scoreboards do not define me. God’s on the throne whether we win or lose. If I never win another game, God is still good. That’s where my peace comes from. Period. The end.”

In the last few weeks, or in the last year, Swinney has been securitized a lot by the fans, media and by just about everyone during the Tigers’ fall from grace. The Clemson coach said he does his best not to listen to the outside noise.

“God’s taking care of me. I’m 56 years old, man. You know, I know where I came from and God has shown so much favor on my life,” he said. “I’d just have to be an idiot to lose my peace now because something ain’t going right.

“Hey, God never says oops. It’s what I believe. Just keep going. Just keep going. Just keep going, man. Don’t ever quit. I don’t ever quit. I just keep going. I love what I do. I love who I do it with. But my peace comes from knowing that God’s on the throne. That’s where my peace comes from. Ain’t nothing, no football game can change that, so I don’t care what happens.”