Clemson’s recent slide has put Dabo Swinney and the program under a harsher spotlight than they’ve seen in years, and Paul Finebaum isn’t buying the idea that the Tigers are still operating like a true national heavyweight.
The Tigers have been one of college football’s premier programs since 2010, piling up a 173-45 record that ties them with Georgia for the third-best mark in that span, behind only Alabama and Ohio State. Their peak run came from 2015 through 2020, when Clemson stacked six straight College Football Playoff trips and won two national titles, including victories over Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide.
But the shine has faded since that 2020 season. Clemson has managed three double-digit win seasons and one more playoff berth, which came in 2024 after a 10-4 finish and an ACC Championship Game win in the final seconds.
That momentum made the 2025 collapse sting even more. Clemson entered the season ranked No. 1 in returning production, opened at No. 4 in the preseason poll and was viewed as one of the favorites to win it all. Instead, Swinney’s team finished 7-6, its worst season since 2010.
That’s the backdrop for Finebaum’s criticism. On “The Paul Finebaum Show,” the SEC Network analyst took aim at a Clemson caller and said the Tigers are no longer a legitimate contender, while also questioning Swinney’s standing.
"I think he believes if he keeps repeating the same lie that Clemson is legitimate and Dabo is a good coach, it will make him at least feel better short term," Finebaum said.
The bigger issue around Clemson isn’t whether Swinney knows how to coach. The problem is that the program has not kept pace with the sport’s new reality. NIL and the transfer portal have changed how contenders are built, and Clemson has been slower than most to fully embrace that model.
The Tigers signed only 11 players in the 2026 transfer portal class and checked in at No. 56 in the recruiting rankings. Their previous high for a single class was four in 2025, and before that they often went years without signing anyone or added just one player.
That leaves Clemson trying to bridge two worlds: the old way of building a roster and the modern one that rewards flexibility, portal activity and NIL spending.
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