Clemson is starting fall camp with a number next to its name, but it’s not the kind of number many around the program expected.
USA Today released the 2026 Preseason AFCA Coaches Poll on Tuesday afternoon, and the Tigers checked in at No. 23 after votes from 62 active FBS head coaches. Clemson is one of only three ACC teams in the Top 25, joining SMU at No. 20 and Miami at No. 7.
For Clemson and Dabo Swinney, that placement stands out for another reason: it’s the program’s lowest preseason coaches’ ranking since 2011, when the Tigers entered unranked after going 6-7 in 2010.
Fresh off a College Football Playoff appearance, Clemson entered the 2025 season with plenty of buzz, especially with Cade Klubnik viewed as a projected Heisman contender. That optimism disappeared quickly.
The Tigers stumbled to a 1-3 start, then recovered enough to go 6-2 over the rest of the regular season, but a loss to Penn State in the Pinstripe Bowl left them 7-6 overall. That was Clemson’s worst finish since 2010.
The offseason has brought a different look to the roster. Clemson added more than 10 transfers through the portal, and several players are set for their biggest roles yet because of departures, including quarterback Christopher Vizzina and linebacker Kobe McCloud. Those departures came either through the portal or as players moved on to the NFL.
That combination - last season’s record, the turnover on the depth chart, and the uncertainty on both sides of the ball - explains why the No. 23 spot feels surprising.
At the same time, the ranking also reflects how much expectations have swung around Clemson in recent years. The Tigers entered 2023 at No. 9 with Klubnik taking over as the full-time starter, then finished No. 20 at 9-4.
They were a little more measured heading into 2024 at No. 14, and that season ended with a 10-4 mark, Clemson’s first College Football Playoff appearance since 2020, and a No. 11 finish. Last year brought the biggest spotlight of all, with Clemson opening at No. 4 before fading to 7-6 and dropping out of the rankings.
Now the Tigers are back in a more modest preseason spot, and whether that proves fair or fuel for a rebound won’t be answered until the season gets rolling.
In Other News...
Clemsons New Offense Puts One Backfield Battle Front And Center
Clemsons offseason overhaul has put the rushing attack right at the center of its reset, and running backs coach C.J. Spiller is treating the room like it is being built from scratch heading into 2026. After a low finish in rushing offense last season, the Tigers have turned to new offensive coordinator Chad Morris and a wave of newcomers, including 11 transfers, in an effort to get the ground game moving again and give the offense a more reliable foundation.
Among the players trying to carve out that new pecking order is SMU transfer Chris Johnson Jr., while sophomore Gideon Davidson and seniors Jay Haynes and Jarvis Greene are all expected to push for meaningful roles. The competition is wide open enough that every practice rep matters, and the only certainty right now is that Clemson wants a more productive backfield than the one it had a year ago. [Read more 🡒]
Clemsons Preseason Ranking Says Everything About Expectations Right Now
Clemsons place in the 2026 preseason coaches poll is a reminder of how sharply the mood has shifted around the program. USA Today Sports slotted the Tigers at No. 23, their lowest preseason spot under Dabo Swinney since 2011, after a disappointing 2025 season left outside expectations far more muted than usual.
South Carolina is in a similar spot, unranked but still drawing votes in the same poll as Shane Beamers team tries to move on from a 4-8 finish in 2025. The Gamecocks are tied for No. 30 in the unofficial tally with 50 points, and the outlook for both South Carolina programs suggests the conversation now is less about national spotlight and more about proving last season was not the new normal. [Read more 🡒]
Dabo Swinneys Clemson Model Is Facing Real Pressure Again
Clemsons long-standing preference for building its roster the old-fashioned way, by identifying high school talent and developing it over time, has come under renewed scrutiny as the modern transfer portal era continues to reshape college football. Dabo Swinney has stuck to that model while many rivals have used quick fixes to patch holes and reload, and the debate around whether his approach can still sustain championship-level success has only grown louder as the Tigers try to keep pace in the ACC and beyond.
The pressure has only sharpened because of what unfolded last season, when a veteran group still fell short of expectations, a point ESPNs Greg McElroy highlighted in criticizing the programs direction. Now Clemson is once again navigating uncertainty at quarterback, and with the national arms race showing no signs of slowing down, the question hanging over Swinney is whether patience and development can still hold up against a sport that increasingly rewards speed over stability. [Read more 🡒]