Top Landing Spot Emerges For Dabo Swinney If He Leaves Clemson
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Some people never thought this day would come, but the Dabo Swinney era at Clemson appears to be on its last legs.
Clemson came into the 2025 season with championship expectations. And yet, the team has been under .500 for most of the fall. It's been such a disappointing year that ESPN's Paul Finebaum is advocating for Swinney to leave the Tigers behind.
“Every time I talk about Dabo, somebody takes it the wrong way. But, nobody here is suggesting Dabo Swinney be fired,” Finebaum said on the Matt Barrie Show. “I am strongly suggesting Dabo Swinney get out of there, though. It’s gotten so bad, and I hate to see a Hall-of-Fame coach act that petulant and that poorly, and I don’t have any doubt he can find a job. And, sometimes, you just have to move on.”
This past Wednesday, there were rumors about Arkansas having interest in Swinney. The program fired head coach Sam Pittman earlier this season.
“My buddy that’s a high ranking booster texted me this morning and said that’s the Arky AD and Dabo spoke in heavy conversations last night,” a post on Volquest read. “Said a lot of the Clemson brass was rattled but not scared."
It's unclear if Swinney would actually consider coaching at Arkansas. Make no mistake, a move to the SEC would be fascinating.
Where will Dabo end up?
If Swinney is willing to leave Clemson after this season, Auburn seems to be the best fit for him.
Auburn doesn't lack aggression, that's for sure. In 2022, the athletic department signed Hugh Freeze to a six-year, $49 million deal. He was fired earlier this month after an underwhelming 15-19 record.
"I have informed Coach Freeze of my decision to make a change in leadership with the Auburn football program," Cohen said in a statement. "Coach Freeze is a man of integrity, and we are appreciative of his investment in Auburn and his relentless work over the last three years in bolstering our roster. Our expectations for Auburn football are to annually compete for championships, and the search for the next leader of Auburn football begins immediately."
If Auburn wants to compete for championships, it's imperative they get a winner in the building. While there's no doubt Clemson has underachieved this season, Swinney's track record speaks for itself. He's a two-time national champion who has won at least nine games every season since 2011.
Maybe a change of scenery is all Swinney needs to return to form. As for Auburn, it's no secret the boosters are willing to spend on a top-tier coach.
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Nov 15, 2025, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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