Entering the 2026 season, Dabo Swinney finds himself in an unfamiliar position, on the hot seat. Swinney is now facing intense national scrutiny following a disastrous 7-6 campaign in 2025, the program’s worst finish in 15 years. This has fueled speculation that his time at Clemson is likely over and that he could move on to another program.
Steven Godfrey Believes Dabo Swinney Could Fit at Baylor
Steven Godfrey recently addressed the Tigers’ situation in the latest episode of “College Football Enquirer.” Not only did he mention that Swinney could be swift in looking for a new role somewhere else, but he also reminded Swinney of a diluted demand. Godfrey then named Baylor as Swinney’s best fit.
“I’m under the impression from everyone I spoke with that Dabo would be aggressive in pursuing [a new job], you know how Mike Gundy said that when he got fired, but the market was like, ‘No, we’re good on Mike’,” Godfrey said.
He then added, “You know what’s funny? I think there’s a faith-based institution in Texas that has a hot-seat coach, that would fit Dabo Swinney… Boy, he ain’t going to Bama… Greg Byrne ain’t doing that, my guy.”
While Swinney has finally dipped his toe into the transfer portal, some might argue it is too little, too late. To save his tenure, Swinney has doubled down on his coaching tree, rehiring former protégé Chad Morris as offensive coordinator to replace Garrett Riley.
The 2026 season rests on whether this back-to-basics approach can revitalize an offense that has looked archaic in the NIL era.
This has put Swinney’s $57M buyout in the spotlight. However, addressing the noise, he stated after the Georgia Tech loss, “If Clemson’s tired of winning, they can send me on my way… I ain’t going to the beach. Hell, I’m 55. I’ve got a long way to go.”
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Swinney has also publicly slammed the impatient culture of modern football, pointing to his 8 ACC titles in 10 years as proof that the Clemson way still works. Due to his massive contract running through 2031, Swinney’s buyout remains among the largest in college football.
For Clemson to pull the trigger, the 2026 season would likely need to be a complete catastrophe, resulting in a losing record or missing a bowl game entirely. Short of that, the more likely scenario is a mutual parting if a mid-tier school (like Baylor) or a desperate blue blood makes a run at him.
