CLEMSON — The last two weeks have been fun for the Clemson Tigers.

They got a good win over Florida State at home, a game in which they played complementary football for the first time all season. Then on Friday night, they went on the road and beat a ranked Louisville team, who, and let’s be honest here, gave Clemson the football game.

But things even out, right? You can say the Tigers gave Georgia Tech and Duke victories earlier this season.

The point is Clemson won two games it desperately needed to win and that is a good thing.

“The tougher it’s gotten, the closer they’ve become, the stronger they’ve gotten and the more they’ve dug in — and that’s not normal,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said after the game to ESPN. “Not in today’s world. That’s not normal.

“Usually when you have some adversity, you divide. People are looking for the sideline or the training room. But not these Tigers. Not these seniors. That’s the freaking heart of a champion right there.”

That is great, Dabo, but let’s not get caught up in the moment too much.

The Tigers are still 5-5 heading into Week 12 of the season. They finished 4-4 in the ACC, and though it’s good Clemson still has not posted a losing record in conference play since 1998, it was still predicted to win the ACC and represent the league in the College Football Playoff.

Though it’s good the team has not quit and is fighting, unlike the 2024 Florida State Seminoles, the season has been a disappointment at Clemson.

A .500 football team in the ACC is not what was ordered, and even if the Tigers beat Furman and later take down rival South Carolina, changes are still in order in Tigertown.

Following the Tigers’ 20-19 win over the Cardinals on Friday night, Swinney pointed out to the media that Clemson did not need to go to the transfer portal to get a running back after Adam Randall rushed for 105 yards and scored 2 TDs, including the game winner.

Swinney pointed out to the media how wrong we were with punter Jack Smith and how he did not need to go to the portal to get a new punter after Smith’s heads-up play in the fourth quarter, and punting ultimately saved the game for the Tigers.

However, their performances does not change the fact Clemson’s personnel will take a big hit at the end of the season. Guys like Randall, quarterback Cade Klubnik, wide receiver Antonio Williams, tackles Tristan Leigh and Blake Miller, linebacker Wade Woodaz and defensive tackle DeMonte Capehart will use up their eligibility at the end of the season.

Other guys, like defensive tackle Peter Woods, defensive end T.J. Parker and cornerback A.J. Terrell will head to the NFL. Then there will be others who will jump into the transfer portal – some you might expect and some that will surprise you.

Clemson does not have enough developed talent to not go and replace those players and depth that is going to be leaving the program once the 2025 season ends. The Tigers did go the portal last year, and proved it can get some help.

Will Heldt, the Purdue transfer, has been Clemson’s best defensive player all year. Linebacker Jeremiah Alexander, who transferred from Alabama, has been a good addition and has really showed his worth in the Tigers’ wins over FSU and Louisville. Though he had a bad game against Louisville, wide receiver Tristan Smith has made some big contributions, and proved the Tigers can find a diamond in the rough in the portal.

We hear you Swinney. The team is playing hard. They are not quitting, and it is nice to see them find a way to win a game than lose one.

However, let’s not lose focus here. Changes still need to be made. The way the program has handled NIL, and the transfer portal still needs to change, or Clemson is going to be in even a worse spot this time next year.