Heading into the 2024 college football season, Clemson’s rankings are quite varied.
In some post-spring rankings, the Tigers are comfortably within the Top 15. In others, they’re outside the Top 15 due to questions about their potential and their minimal activity in the transfer portal. This inconsistency is just part of sports’ unpredictability.
Initially, most rankings I’ve seen have the Tigers just outside the Top 15, but the most recent rankings we’ve seen have had Clemson as high as Top 10. The latest update comes from On3, who ranked Clemson No. 13 in the country, just outside the Top 12.
The Tigers’ claim to the No. 2 spot in the post-spring, post-portal rankings has as much to do with my reticence with Miami as it does confidence in Clemson. Dabo Swinney continues to stick his foot in his mouth about why his program doesn’t use the transfer portal (zero additions — the only power conference school in the country to do so). The Tigers do return a defense littered with NFL talent, and freshmen wideouts TJ Moore and Bryant Wesco look to provide more support for quarterback Cade Klubnik. But Klubnik has yet to fulfill his 5-star ranking and the OL remains underwhelming.
While the ranking varies each time, the narrative is more or less the same. Clemson doesn’t use the transfer portal, and starting quarterback Cade Klubnik needs to step up. This is nothing new to us, but it’s also not something we disagree with either.
The Swinney thing is fine; we know what his goals are and understand his vision. It truly revolves around Klubnik and the offense.