Clemson’s start to the 2024 college football season couldn’t have gone worse. The Tigers were blown out 34-3 by their SEC rival, the Georgia Bulldogs, on Saturday afternoon.

And social media hasn’t exactly been kind to Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney.

Swinney has not embraced the development of the college football transfer portal, a system that has allowed programs to improve rapidly by bringing in new talent every year.

After seeing Saturday’s results, fans immediately pointed to this as the reason for Clemson’s lack of success against the No. 1 team in the country.

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Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney before a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Brett Davis/USA Today Sports)

Swinney responded to a question about the transfer portal after the loss.

“People are going to say what they want to say,” Swinney said, via ClemsonWire. “It doesn’t matter what I say. People are going to say what they want to say. And when you lose like this, they have every right to say what they want to say. So, say what you want to say, write what you want to write. That’s part of it. That’s just part of it.”

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart made comments about Swinney’s program-building strategy a few days before their matchup, saying, “I’m just like Dabo” in that he wants to keep his entire roster. However, Smart has done a good job of utilizing the transfer portal since its inception, which has led to great Bulldogs teams with national titles in recent years.

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Swinney’s thought process wouldn’t matter if Clemson, the team ranked 14th in the country entering the year, had performed better against Georgia. But that wasn’t the case, and critics on social media pointed the blame directly at him.

“Dabo Swinney’s job is to do everything he can to put together a team that can compete at the highest level of college football,” one X user tweeted. “He is not doing his job and will be criticized accordingly and rightfully so.”

Another X user wrote: “Dabo Swinney’s refusal to use the transfer portal, negative attitude towards NIL is on full display today. The talent Georgia has compared to Clemson is night and day. Swinney is a VCR stuck in a Blue (sic) Ray world.”

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney reacts on the sideline during the second half of the Aflac Kickoff Game against Georgia in Atlanta, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. (IMAGE)

There was much more going on: social media users posted memes to express their thoughts about Swinney.

While Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik struggled, completing 18 of 29 passes for 142 yards, one interception and no touchdowns, Georgia quarterback Carson Beck was a powerhouse for the Bulldogs.

Beck, who is expected to be a Heisman Trophy candidate this season, threw for 278 yards on 23-for-33 with two touchdowns. Running back Nate Frazier also scored on the ground, leading the Bulldogs in rushing with 83 yards on 11 carries.

Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney reacts to a call from an official during the first quarter of the 2024 Aflac Kickoff Game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Ken Ruinard/USA Today Sports)

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Clemson’s start hasn’t been ideal, but next week the team will get a chance to bounce back in the season opener against Appalachian State.

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