College football writer Stewart Mandel of The Athletic offered a pessimistic projection for Clemson football ahead of the 2026 season, forecasting head coach Dabo Swinney’s squad to finish 6-6 and ninth in the ACC standings.
In his ACC record and order of finish predictions, Mandel picked the Miami Hurricanes to win the league while questioning whether Clemson’s overall roster depth will translate into elite performance.
“Once a program reaches the heights Clemson did from 2015-2020, people just kind of assume they’re ‘still talented,'” Mandel wrote. “Well, the Tigers had nine draft picks last season and went 7-6. They’ve gone 4-4 in conference play two of the past three seasons. Expect more of the same.”
Conference Outlook and Rivalry Context
Mandel also highlighted turmoil surrounding rival Florida State under head coach Mike Norvell. Entering his seventh season in Tallahassee with a 7-17 overall record over the past two years and a 3-13 conference mark, Norvell may not survive the season, according to Mandel.
“Florida State’s embattled coach — 3-13 in the ACC since 2024 — was too expensive to fire last year,” Mandel wrote. “Now it may be too costly to keep him. The fanbase is checked out and roster money dried up.”
Clemson travels to face Florida State on Oct. 31 at Doak Campbell Stadium. The Tigers enter the regular season ranked No. 23 in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll while remaining unranked in the AP Top 25 poll for the first time since 2011.
Contrasting Playoff Dark Horse Projection
Offering a contrasting perspective, The Athletic’s Manny Navarro identified Clemson as a “sneaky” contender for the College Football Playoff behind favorite Miami.
Responding to a mailbag question regarding non-Miami playoff options from the ACC, Navarro listed Clemson alongside SMU and Louisville, citing high-profile nonconference and conference opportunities.
“SMU and Louisville are the obvious answers, but I wouldn’t rule out Clemson either,” Navarro wrote. “All three face top-10 teams, and pulling an upset would obviously strengthen their argument to get in the field with a 10- or 11-win season… Clemson opens at No. 11 LSU and hosts seventh-ranked Miami on Oct. 3.”
Clemson opens its 2026 campaign on Sept. 5 at LSU in Baton Rouge (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC).
