Clemson’s absence from the preseason AP Top 25 poll for the first time since 2011 highlights a shift in how national voters view head coach Dabo Swinney’s program following a 7-6 finish last season.
While the Tigers fell just five voting points shy of No. 25 Missouri—finishing at the top of the receiving-votes list—On3 analysts Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman noted that pollsters are no longer granting Clemson automatic benefit of the doubt.
“Does this mean that poll voters are out on Dabo? They are no longer giving Dabo the benefit of the doubt?” Staples asked during an On3 segment. “Because it’s not like Clemson, if we went roster for roster with a lot of those teams that are ranked above where Clemson is receiving votes – we would say Clemson has the better roster.”
Wasserman defended the voters’ cautious approach, pointing to lingering roster and coaching questions following last year’s campaign.
“Some question at quarterback, they’ve been down. Last year’s coaching situation was bad,” Wasserman said. “I think that this is rational. What I would be more interested in is why they should be ranked? It’s not that head-scratching. I think that this is fair…They aren’t hopeless, but I think this is a rational place to have them.”
Transfer Portal Strategy and Program Edge
Wasserman argued that Clemson’s slide from guaranteed contender status stems partly from Swinney’s delayed adoption of the transfer portal relative to peer programs. While Swinney built a national powerhouse and won two national titles through high school recruiting and internal player development, competing programs adjusted their roster construction faster in the modern era.
“They lost their edge as a program as a result of being late to the party,” Wasserman said.
Despite the national drop, Wasserman emphasized that the Tigers remain in contention within the Atlantic Coast Conference.
“I don’t think it’s out of the question that Clemson will compete for the ACC Championship this year or be in that mix,” Wasserman said. “Because the one thing that Clemson has done without question, for the most part, even in this downslide, was compete in this conference.”
Quarterback Dynamics and Freshman Impact
The key factor determining Clemson’s trajectory could be true freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds, whose early performance during practices exceeded expectations.
Staples contrasted Reynolds’ rapid progression with former high-profile recruitments under Swinney.
“Tait Reynolds was not expected to be this. They were surprised at how good he was when he got there,” Staples said. “Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence didn’t surprise anybody. They were expected to be the best quarterback in their class by a lot of people.”
Staples questioned whether Swinney’s traditional loyalty could influence the timing of potential depth chart changes if Reynolds establishes himself as the team’s top option.
“Now he (Swinney) might not play the best one as soon as he should,” Staples said.
Clemson opens its 2026 regular season on Sept. 5 against No. 11 LSU in Baton Rouge, offering an early opportunity to reclaim national standing.
