DURHAM, N.C. — There was a lot of firsts Labor Day night when Clemson traveled to take on the Duke Blue Devils, and they weren’t of the positive sort. In a game where the Tigers shot themselves in the foot, it’s easy to see why the disbelief is so prevalent.

Upsets take everyone aback, but it’s another level when even the head coach is feeling it. Dabo Swinney’s seen his fair share of anomalies, but none may be bigger than the worst loss to Duke since 1936. He opened his postgame press conference with those emotions, and listed off multiple statistics that match the freakish nature of the game.

“Honestly, in all my years of football, I’ve never been a part of a game like that, ever. Been here at Clemson a long time. Since I’ve been the head coach, we were 58-0 when we rushed for 200 yards and passed for 200 yards. That’s usually a pretty good indicator,” Swinney.

He also noted that Clemson was 108-0 as a program in that scenario. I’ll go out on a limb and say they didn’t have two blocked field goals and fumbles deep in opposing territory in those 108 previous games either. Those wasted possessions are the reasons that record is now shattered.

When it rains, it pours and it wasn’t the Tigers’ night for a multitude of reasons. While he had to laugh a little about the circumstances of the game, Swinney was quick to get serious again and talk about the team’s failures to put the finishing touches on so many moments.

“You’ve gotta finish and obviously, we did not do that. So many opportunities, on the 1-yard line a couple times,” Swinney said. “1-for-4 in the red zone, obviously turnovers. Three turnovers, a couple low blocked kicks that didn’t even give a chance but again, twice. First and goal at the one and we get no points. It’s really, really disappointing and really nothing else you can say about it.”

Swinney credited the Blue Devils’ performance, but he knows Clemson decided their own fate in Wallace Wade Stadium. The shockwave is massive, and the Tigers have their backs against the wall after a single game. Anomaly or not, that’s the reality after Clemson’s disappointment at Duke.