Clemson coach Dabo Swinney broke former Florida State legend Bobby Bowden’s record Saturday for the most career head-coaching victories while leading an ACC program.
Bowden finished his career with 377 NCAA-recognized wins, with 173 coming with Florida State as members of the ACC. Swinney, who has spent his entire head-coaching career with Clemson, won his 174th game when the Tigers beat the Seminoles 29-13 on Bobby Bowden Field.
“It’s a blessing and I honestly think coach Bowden’s probably smiling. Somebody’s gotta break it and somebody will break this record one of these days,” Swinney told local reporters after the game.
“My name may be on the list, but there ain’t nobody better than Bobby Bowden. That’s just a fact. He is amazing and honestly, if I could just have half the impact on my players’ lives that Bobby Bowden had on his, then I will have lived a good life with purpose.”
The fun is in the winning. Congratulations, Coach Swinney! pic.twitter.com/raxGjxKmDj
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) October 6, 2024
Swinney first came to Clemson ahead of the 2003 season when Tommy Bowden, Bobby’s son, hired him as a young wide receivers coach. An ace recruiter and beloved players’ coach, Swinney then became the Tigers’ interim head coach midway through the 2008 season when Tommy Bowden and Clemson parted ways.
The Tigers removed Swinney’s interim tag on Dec. 1, 2008. He since led Clemson to six College Football Playoff appearances and two national championships.
Before Bobby’s death in 2021, he was a cherished role model for Swinney, who formed a relationship with the entire Bowden family and often praised Bobby for the way he treated his players. Swinney still has voicemails from Bobby saved on his cell phone from when Bobby would call him with words of encouragement.
Dabo Swinney, whose own father died six years ago yesterday, opened practice tonight with a really heartfelt tribute to Bobby Bowden. You can tell how much Bobby Bowden meant to him. (1/4) pic.twitter.com/wrELWvkccR
— Grace Raynor (@gmraynor) August 10, 2021
Even with the Tigers missing out on the College Football Playoff in each of the past three seasons, Swinney’s new record is a testament to the program he built at Clemson and the consistency the Tigers have had under him.
Swinney is now 174-44 during his head-coaching career.
“I’ve been able to be at this place for 16 1/2 years,” Swinney said. “Sixteen years ago almost to the day, maybe a couple or two or three weeks from now, I came down here (to Tallahassee) with one win. Never in my imagination would I think 16 years later we’d be sitting here having this conversation.”
(Photo: David Jensen / Getty Images)
