Clemson will open the 2026 college football season holding a spot in the national top 25, though at its lowest preseason position in over a decade.
The Tigers debuted at No. 23 in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll released Tuesday, positioned between No. 22 Iowa and No. 24 Houston. The ranking marks Clemson’s lowest entry in the preseason Coaches Poll under head coach Dabo Swinney since 2014, when the Tigers opened at No. 16.
Ohio State took the top spot at No. 1 in the poll, followed by Oregon at No. 2, Georgia at No. 3, Texas at No. 4, and Notre Dame rounding out the top five. LSU, Clemson’s season-opening opponent on Sept. 5 at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, entered the poll at No. 13 as head coach Lane Kiffin begins his first season at the helm.
Rebuilding After a 7-6 Campaign
The modest preseason positioning comes on the heels of a 7-6 finish last season. That campaign opened with national title aspirations before a 1-3 start removed the Tigers from early contention.
Entering the 2026 campaign, Clemson is replacing multi-year starter Cade Klubnik under center. The starting quarterback competition remains open between fourth-year veteran Christopher Vizzina and true freshman Tait Reynolds.
In the backfield, the Tigers feature former five-star recruit Gideon Davidson alongside SMU transfer running back Chris Johnson. Outside, returning wide receivers Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore anchor the passing attack alongside tight end Olsen Patt-Henry.
Roster Turnovers on Defense
Defensive coordinator Tom Allen’s unit faces its own restructuring after losing key production to the 2026 NFL Draft.
The defensive front must replace linemen T.J. Parker and Peter Woods, who were both selected in the first two rounds in April. The draft departures also included defensive tackle DeMonte Capehart, linebacker Wade Woodaz, and cornerback Avieon Terrell.
Clemson will test its revamped roster immediately when it travels to Baton Rouge to face No. 13 LSU to kick off the regular season.
