Clemson’s Dabo Swinney reveals roster issues for Penn State game

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney with players

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Matthew Couden

By Matthew Couden

Contributing Writer

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The Clemson Tigers won’t participate in this year’s College Football Playoff, but accepted an invitation to play Penn State in a college bowl game.

They’ll face the Nittany Lions, a program that went through a head coach shakeup this season, in the Pinstripe Bowl. According to Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, he's looking forward to the challenge, which is precisely what the game in New York City could be.

Swinney indicated the team is facing some significant roster issues as they head into the bowl game. The longtime Tigers coach addressed the media recently, sharing his thoughts on those concerns.

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“I’m excited about the challenge, because we’ve got a lot of guys out, for whatever reason. I think we’re at 26 total scholarship guys that are unavailable for whatever reason,” he told reporters.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney with players

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"Most of those are injuries [or] surgery. Seventeen of those guys are due to injuries, surgery. A bunch of them have been out for a while. We had a couple of others that were hurt in the South Carolina game and are out as a result of those," Swinney said, reiterating, "26 scholarship players. That puts a strain on everybody."

The Tigers' coach also mentioned the five transfers they lost. Cornerback Shelton Lewis, linebacker Dee Crayton, linebacker Jamal Anderson, safety Khalil Barnes, and running back Keith Adams Jr. all decided to move on to the transfer portal without finishing out their season in the bowl game.

“We wish them well and appreciate their contributions as they move forward,” he said.

Along with the transfer portal players, he said four of Clemson’s roster members opted out to play professional football. Cornerback Avieon Terrell, defensive lineman Peter Woods, and defensive end T.J. Parker all declared early for the 2026 NFL Draft.

“I think on offense we’re down 12 scholarship guys and 14 scholarship guys on defense. Seven starters on the offense,” he said.

Swinney spoke a bit more about injuries and surgery, mentioning offensive lineman Collin Sadler, who “barely" got through the game when they played South Carolina, and recently had to undergo shoulder surgery, so he's unavailable. Linebacker Wade Woodaz also had surgery, making him unavailable.

He also mentioned that their starting tight end, Olsen-Patt Henry, and receivers Bryant Wesco Jr. and Antonio Williams are all out with various injuries.

“A lot of guys are unavailable. That’s a big, long list, but guess what? Nobody cares. It’s next man up, and I'm excited to see these guys step up and go play. I’m fired up,” Swinney said, indicating the available players had good practice and preparation for the game.

It may sound daunting, but the Tigers coach seems confident the roster he has available will be good to go and could score a big win as players experience Christmas in New York. Clemson plays Penn State at the world-famous Yankee Stadium in the Pinstripe Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 27, at 12 p.m. Eastern Time.