The Clemson football program is in a place they haven’t been in years, one that isn’t very familiar in the Dabo Swinney era.
While the last few seasons haven’t been the friendliest to the Tigers, 10,10 and 9 win seasons are tough to complain about. Expectations are surely higher, but it’s not like the Tigers are drowning.
That being said, it’s tough to argue they’re trending in the right direction, even with the strength of their 2025 recruiting class right now. Recently, the Tigers fell 5 spots to No. 12 in ESPN’s college football Future Power Rankings through 2026 ($$$).
The next three seasons will be fascinating for a Clemson program that finds itself an unfamiliar spot, outside of the FPR top 10. Clemson is coming off of its first four-loss season since 2011 and has just one CFP win since its most recent national title in 2018. The transfer portal era has been bumpy, in part because of coach Dabo Swinney’s resistance to adding transfers. Clemson’s high school recruiting remains strong — its 2025 class ranks No. 5 in the latest rundown — but upgrades are needed, especially with an offense that ranks 45th nationally in scoring since the start of the 2021 season.
The next three seasons will say a lot, but in reality, 2024 is the most significant year of the three. It almost feels like a make or break for the Tigers here. If they don’t turn it around and fall behind a team such as Miami, for example, the future will not look as bright.
Swinney and the Tigers have a lot to prove this season.