Clemson coach Swinney downplays criticism after 51-10 loss to LSU

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney faced a barrage of criticism following a 51-10 defeat to LSU on Saturday, the largest margin of loss in his tenure. At a press conference before the team's upcoming game against Georgia Southern, Swinney said he does not follow the public commentary, focusing instead on preparing the team for the next contest.

"I don’t know, because I don’t read anything. I don’t hear anything. I really don’t," Swinney said. "In my world, I just focus on what I’m doing, and I don’t pay attention to that. I’m just focused on winning this week." He also admitted the performance warranted criticism, describing it as a poor showing. "You play like that, you oughta be criticized. That was a poor performance by us," Swinney added. The loss came after Clemson entered the season unranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2011 and at No. 23 in the preseason Coaches Poll, its lowest ranking in that poll since 2011. The Tigers were outgained by nearly 500 yards and struggled on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Former players expressed disappointment on social media. Former defensive end Xavier Thomas noted the preseason ranking was finally accurate, while former tight end Jordan Leggett called the offensive and defensive line play the "softest" he had seen. Former defensive tackle DJ Reader described the game as sad to watch, and former offensive lineman Eric Mac Lain said the team appeared overwhelmed and lacked speed compared with LSU, calling the matchup "devastating" and "very frustrating."