Pulse: Dabo Swinney’s Not Changing, SEC Officiating Blunders, A Glorious Weekend Of Football Awaits

There was a thought that Dabo Swinney would make enough noise at Clemson this season to set up a true program "revival" in 2025. Four weeks in, the Tigers are 1–3 and resetting their goals. While the Tigers are licking their wounds on the bye week, we are set up for a monster weekend of college football. 

Plenty of teams are headed the wrong way—Notre Dame, South Carolina, even North Carolina (what a spectacle for Bill Belichick). The Tar Heels, fresh off a thrashing by UCF, suddenly look like a team that could use a 60-Minutes interview to drum up some type of public relations. 

Dabo Swinney’s Words No Longer Resonate As Clemson Fans Lose Patience After Syracuse Loss

And while Auburn fans are still stewing after the loss to Oklahoma, the conversation quickly shifted to the horrid officiating we’ve seen from the SEC across multiple games.

Simply put: there’s a lot to discuss heading into a monster weekend in college football.

SEC Officials Are Clearly Not Helping Themselves

I feel for the Auburn fans that had to read the message sent out from the SEC Officiating social media account on Sunday evening. 

Here's how it should've read. 

"Hey, we screwed up mightily. That Oklahoma touchdown. Yeah, it actually shouldn't have counted. That's our bad, we know it looks horrible. But, good luck the remainder of the season."

Seriously, what are we doing? If Hugh Freeze had sounded off postgame, he’d be crushed, and fined, by the SEC. But the league posts a statement, and we’re all supposed to move on?

It doesn’t help that reports say Oklahoma staffers told the officials the play was coming and even asked if it was legal—apparently with no pushback. And this isn’t the first time SEC crews have seen something like it—see Lane Kiffin vs. Texas A&M in 2023. 

Ok, then what in the world is the SEC doing? By the way, this wasn't the first time that officials from the conference had seen something like this, thanks to Lane Kiffin in 2023 against Texas A&M. 

Either the play was legal, the refs blew it, or the SEC didn’t need to publish a useless statement. Enough with the clown show. This isn’t high school football.

Dabo Swinney Is Not Changing, So Get Used To It

"We don't have the record that we envisioned, so a lot of disappointment, but I'm really proud of these guys on how they hung in there. This moment will make us better. I like the response from our guys. It's not what we expected, but I don't think it caught God by surprise. That's just what I believe."

Alright, message received. The higher power isn’t shocked by Clemson’s 1–3 start.

I get what Dabo is saying, and I respect his convictions. But a week after lighting up Clemson supporters—and people inside the athletic department—the Tigers look like a team without an identity.

News flash: this season’s going to be rough. Clemson’s playoff chances are about as good as me getting an all-expenses-paid trip to Hawaii in the next few months. Not happening. So when Dabo talks about resetting goals, he’s really saying: please keep showing up, buy the tickets and the drinks—just don’t expect a victory parade.

Sometimes the job calls for reading the room. Right now, Dabo’s missing his glasses. And who had North Carolina vs. Clemson pegged as a near-bottom-of-the-conference game? Not many. (And it’s not like Bill Belichick is smiling in Chapel Hill, either.)

Hope You Don't Have Plans, College Football Has A Monster Weekend

This is one of those Saturdays that you worked for all summer long. You know, doing all the chores you can for your significant other, knowing that there would be one weekend out of the season that all you wanted to do was sit on the couch from sunrise to sunset. 

Well everyone, here's your chance to use that goodwill built up since the 2024 season ended. 

Here's just a glimpse at what's on-tap. 

• No. 24 TCU @ Arizona State (Friday night)
• No. 15 Tennessee vs. Mississippi State
• No. 21 USC vs. No. 23 Illinois
• No. 22 Notre Dame vs. Arkansas (I know, Razorback fans)
• No.1 Ohio State @ Washington
• No. 4 LSU @ No. 13 Ole Miss
• Auburn @ No. 9 Texas A&M
• No. 11 Indiana @ Iowa
• No. 6 Oregon @ No. 3 Penn State
• No. 17 Alabama @ No. 5 Georiga

HELLO! For the love of all that’s good, don’t get on social media to complain you’ve been dragged to a fall festival or a wedding. And spare me the posts about your two-year-old cousin’s birthday party—they won’t remember it.

This one’s on you. It’s been eight months since last season ended. You’ve had time to warn people you’re busy—or rack up enough points to skip the obligations and watch football all day.

But, let me know if I can help in any way. Email me at Trey.Wallace@OutKick.com for tips.