Dabo Swinney breaks Bobby Bowden ACC coaching record with win over Seminoles

Swinney owns another ACC coaching record.

David Hood - Senior Writer - Saturday, October 05 2024

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Dabo Swinney owns another ACC coaching record.

With Saturday’s 29-13 victory over Florida State, Swinney now owns the conference record for career head coaching victories leading an ACC program with 174. He had been tied with Florida St. coaching icon and College Football Hall of Famer Bobby Bowden, and the record was broken on the field bearing Bowden’s name.

Of Bowden's 377 NCAA-recognized career head coaching victories, 173 of his wins came during Florida State's membership in the ACC.

Clemson jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter and never looked back in the victory at Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium.

"I have a picture in my office of when I had one win — one. It's a picture of me and Bobby Bowden. We lost the first game to Georgia Tech as an interim, and then we won at Boston College, and then we've got to go down to Tallahassee to play the Noles and Bobby Bowden," Swinney said earlier this week. "He was one of the first people to call me that night as an interim. He became a mentor of mine, a friend of mine. He impacted me greatly, both through Tommy and himself. I can't express enough how much love I have for him and the entire Bowden family... I've still got voicemails on my phone from him; he would call me and encourage me long after he was out of coaching."

The 174 career victories also pass the career win totals of College Football Hall of Famers Robert Neyland (173-31-12) and Frank Solich (173-101).

It's not just about the wins. It's about how you win.

Great moment from the locker room last night after Coach Swinney's record-breaking win. 🐅🧡 pic.twitter.com/yqT2KrTgQl
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) October 6, 2024