Was Swinney Surprised by GT’s Upset Win over FSU?

Was Dabo Swinney surprised by Georgia Tech’s upset victory over 10th-ranked Florida State this past Saturday?

Clemson’s head coach was asked that question on Monday when he joined The Jim Rome Show .

Of course, the Yellow Jackets shocked the college football world by beating the Seminoles in the two teams’ season opener, pulling off the 24-21 win in Dublin, Ireland, on a 44-yard field goal as time expired.

“Listen, anybody can beat anybody,” Swinney said, when asked by Rome if he saw the massive ACC upset coming, and whether it says more about Florida State or Georgia Tech.

“So, I think it’s more about Georgia Tech and what those kids were able to accomplish. Florida State’s a great team and they’re gonna have a great year. But I think it’s all about Georgia Tech and what Brent Key’s done in his first couple years there.”

The win marked Georgia Tech’s first over a top-10 team since its 22-16 victory over FSU in October 2015.

Georgia Tech is coming off a 7-6 (5-3 ACC) campaign in 2023 and made quite a statement to start the program’s second full season under head coach Brent Key.

Swinney praised Key, as well as Texas A&M transfer Haynes King, who is now in his second year as the Yellow Jackets’ starting quarterback.

“I told a lot of people – in fact, I talked to Coach (Nick) Saban a little bit on the phone,” Swinney said of the legendary former Alabama head coach and current ESPN analyst. “He was interviewing me for this game (Clemson vs. Georgia) before that game (Georgia Tech vs. Florida State), and that’s one of the things I was saying. I mean, Georgia Tech, when we played them last year, I remember just really studying them and getting ready for that game and going down and meeting with our defense, and I’m like, ‘Boys, these guys are a problem.’

“They have a great scheme. Their quarterback is a coach’s son, a really tough, gritty competitor, and he can really, really run. I didn’t really know much about him until we got ready to play them last year. But I just think that Brent Key has done an awesome job in instilling his personality in the team and toughness and belief in what they’re doing.”

Key and the Yellow Jackets aren’t scheduled to play Swinney and the Tigers during the 2024 regular season. 14th-ranked Clemson opens the season against No. 1 Georgia this Saturday in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium (12 p.m., ABC).

Clemson has won nine straight games against Georgia Tech, including a 42–21 victory at Memorial Stadium last November. The game was Clemson’s first against Key, who became the first interim coach at an ACC institution elevated to a full-time head coaching role since Swinney accomplished the feat at Clemson in December 2008.

A limited number of signed footballs from Clemson’s 2022 class are still available.  Get yours while supplies last!  Visit Clemson Variety & Frame or purchase online!