Paul Finebaum isn’t backing off his Clemson criticism, and on Monday he turned the volume up again.
After making waves at SEC media days by calling Clemson fans the most annoying in college football, Finebaum was asked on “The Paul Finebaum Show” to explain himself. He first brushed it off as a throwaway line from a radio row appearance, but then he doubled down on the bigger point: in his view, Clemson has slipped.
"They've become an average program," Finebaum said. "They're living in the past. I think you know all the rest."
Finebaum’s latest jab fits into a broader offseason pattern. He has repeatedly taken shots at the Tigers and Dabo Swinney, and his comments at SEC media days drew plenty of attention when he said Clemson fans were "absurd" because they think the program is still relevant.
He also said, "Dabo Swinney isn't living rent-free in anybody's (brain). I mean, Shane Beamer's beat this guy."
The backdrop to all of this is Clemson’s recent decline from its peak. Under Swinney in the 2010s, the Tigers were one of the sport’s dominant teams, stacking up six straight College Football Playoff appearances and winning two national championships.
Since 2021, though, the results have not matched that standard. Clemson has made just one CFP appearance in that span, in 2024, and that trip came after a 10-4 season and an ACC Championship Game win that secured an automatic bid.
Then came 2025, and it was a rough one. The Tigers entered the season ranked in the preseason top five and returned the most production in college football, but finished 7-6 - their worst season since 2010.
That’s the kind of slide that has fueled the national skepticism around the program. Clemson is still working to get back to the level it set a decade ago, and Swinney remains a respected head coach. But the margin for error is tighter now.
A strong 2026 season could change the conversation fast. Another disappointing year would only give critics like Finebaum more ammunition.
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