Dabo Swinney Explains Clemson Passing on Black Friday Game with Gamecocks

Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney had his reasons for not wanting to play the Black Friday game with the Gamecocks.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney talks during the Clemson football Media Outing & Open House at the Allen N. Reeves Football Complex in Clemson, S.C. Tuesday, July 16, 2024. / Ken Ruinard / Staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Atlantic Coast Conference and their television partner, ESPN, were hoping to move the annual Palmetto State showdown between Clemson and South Carolina to a Black Friday slot this year.

Many conferences move games to Thursday or Friday on Thanksgiving weekend in an effort to give their programs a showcase, spread out the schedule, and take advantage of a long holiday weekend.

The Tigers took a pass on the proposal.

On Tuesday, during a media day with local outlets, he explained part of his logic. To him, gamedays aren’t there just for the football team.

“I was against it for several reasons,” Swinney said. “I’m happy to do it in Columbia if that’s what they want to do. I don’t think it’s best for this town — or this community. The people in this town, they make their hay on Saturdays.”

Per a report in the Greenville News, the ACC and ESPN proposed the move of the game to the Tigers. Through an open records request, the News learned that Clemson athletic director Graham Neff refused to move the home game, west for Nov 30.

ACC Senior Associate Commissioner for Football, Michael Strickland, did not appear happy about the decision.

"The Conference Office is disappointed in Clemson University’s lack of cooperation on this matter," Strickland wrote in the e-mail, per the News. "As all ACC members know, it is incumbent upon the ACC and its institutions to work in good faith with ESPN on football scheduling issues. This cooperation maximizes the value of our relationship with our media partner and strengthens our collective future. Clemson’s decision not to do so in this instance is harmful toward that goal."

Apparently Swinney and the Clemson administration believed it was more harmful to local businesses and team supporters to move the game.

Clemson opens the season on Aug. 31 in Atlanta against Georgia. After the opener the Tigers return home for three straight games — vs. Appalachian State on Sept. 7, vs. NC State on Sept. 21 to open ACC play and vs. Stanford on Sept. 28, marking their first game against one of the league’s three new members, which includes Cal and SMU.

The rest of the schedule includes trips to Florida State Oct. 5 and Wake Forest on Oct. 12, followed two straight home contests with Virginia on Oct. 19 and Louisville on Nov. 2.

Clemson then travels to Virginia Tech on Nov. 9 and Pitt on Nov. 16, followed by home games with The Citadel on Nov. 23 and South Carolina on Nov. 30.