The AP preseason Top 25 came out Monday, and for the first time since 2010, neither Clemson nor South Carolina found a spot in it.
Clemson landed just outside the rankings at 26th after receiving 112 votes, while South Carolina checked in 32nd with 10 votes. It’s a sharp drop from a year ago, when Clemson opened the season fourth and South Carolina started 13th before both teams slid well out of the poll by year’s end.
The absence of both programs from the AP list is notable, especially after Clemson already showed up at 23rd in the preseason USA Today/Coaches Top 25 released Aug. 4. South Carolina did not crack that poll, though it did pick up 50 votes, which placed it roughly 30th.
For the Gamecocks, the offseason has centered on holding the line with their core. South Carolina finished 4-8 overall and 1-7 in the SEC last season, but it kept its “big 3” intact for 2026: quarterback LaNorris Sellers, wide receiver Nyck Harbor and edge rusher Dylan Stewart.
Stewart, though, has not practiced since last season because of a back injury. Shane Beamer also added a 14th-ranked recruiting class and the No. 19 transfer class, according to 247Sports.
On offense, the Gamecocks are turning to new coordinator Kendal Briles after ranking 109th nationally last season.
Clemson’s situation looks different, but the theme is the same: a team trying to reset after a disappointing year. The Tigers went 7-6 overall and 4-4 in the ACC, then moved on from offensive coordinator Garrett Riley after the 2025 season.
Dabo Swinney brought back Chad Morris, who previously ran the offense from 2011-14. Clemson will also start over at quarterback after Cade Klubnik was selected by the New York Jets in the 2026 NFL draft, part of a group of nine Clemson draftees.
The schedules give both teams immediate chances to make their own case. South Carolina opens at home against Kent State on Sept.
- Clemson starts that same night in Baton Rouge against Lane Kiffin and No.
11 LSU.
At the top of the AP poll, Ohio State sits at No. 1, followed by Oregon, Georgia, Notre Dame and Texas. The rest of the top 25: Indiana, Miami, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, LSU, Texas Tech, Alabama, BYU, Southern Cal, Michigan, Washington, Penn State, SMU, Tennessee, Utah, Iowa, Houston, Louisville and Missouri.
Among the teams receiving votes behind Clemson and South Carolina were Florida with 51, Boise State with 43, Arizona with 32 and TCU with 11. Navy and South Carolina each got 10.
In Other News...
Clemson's Ground Game Suddenly Hinges On Who Chad Morris Trusts
Clemsons run game has spent the offseason looking for a clearer identity, and the latest scrimmage offered a glimpse of why the staff thinks the answer could come from a fresh mix of legs and decision-making. Christopher Vizzina and Tait Reynolds have been part of the conversation at quarterback, while running backs Gideon Davidson and Chris Johnson Jr. are part of the push to give Chad Morris more options as the Tigers try to rebound from last seasons shortcomings on the ground.
What makes this worth watching now is how much the rotation still seems to be taking shape. Davidson flashed the kind of burst that can change a practice, and Johnson has been one of the more intriguing pieces in the backfield since arriving from SMU, giving Clemson a versatile option as the coaching staff sorts out roles. Morris still has to decide which players he can trust when the season starts, and for a ground game trying to become a strength again, that answer may matter as much as any scheme tweak. [Read more 🡒]
Clemsons Offense Still Has One Big Identity Question In Camp
Clemson is nearing the two-week mark of fall camp and getting ready for its second scrimmage, with the offense still in search of a clearer personality. For a program that was left out of the preseason AP poll for the first time since 2011, that lack of national buzz has only sharpened the focus inside camp, where the Tigers are trying to sort through the pieces and define what this group wants to be under offensive coordinator Chad Morris.
There is optimism around the quarterback room and the skill talent, but the bigger question is how it all fits together when the pads come on. While Tom Allen works in his second season to steady a pass defense that now has three new starters in the secondary through the transfer portal, Clemsons offense is still chasing the kind of identity that can make the whole operation feel more certain as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Dabo Swinneys Latest Clemson Roster Moves Raise New 2026 Questions
Clemsons roster has already started to take on a different shape for 2026, with a couple of familiar names showing up in new spots as fall camp continues. Chris Denson has been working at a new position this month, while Dietrick Pennington has added another role to his workload, giving the Tigers a little more to sort through as the season approaches.
Those changes are now reflected on Clemsons official 2026 roster, and they were part of the latest roster conversation around Dabo Swinneys program. For a team always trying to find the right mix of depth and versatility, the adjustments hint at how Clemson is evaluating pieces heading into the next cycle, even if the full picture of who fits where is still coming into focus. [Read more 🡒]