Latest preseason rankings skeptical on Dabo Swinney's Tigers

Clemson looks to defy some preseason expectations and return to the top of the ACC.

by TigerNet Staff - Fri May 17 09:35:30 GMT-04:00 2024

The latest preseason college football rankings are filing in by the day, and for two national outlets, Clemson is not the ACC favorite.

FOX Sports released a ranking this week that barely had the Tigers in the top tier of the country at all, at No. 24.

"It's time for the Garrett Riley-Cade Klubnik relationship to flourish. If they have success, so will Clemson in a top-heavy ACC," FOX's RJ Young said.

Young has DJ Uiagalalei and Florida State completing a Top 5 with Ohio State, Texas, Georgia and Oregon.

"Mike Norvell's program won its first ACC title in 11 seasons last year and replaced Jordan Travis with a former five-star prospect in DJ Uiagalelei," Young said. "After being snubbed by the CFP selection committee last season, the Noles are righteously aggrieved and will enter the 2024 campaign looking to defend their ACC title."

The Athletic's post-spring outlook ranked Clemson No. 18 recently, which trailed a No. 10 Miami and No. 12 Florida State from the ACC.

"When you look at the other teams on this list, you see coaches who tried very hard to address holes on their roster through the portal," The Athletic's Ari Wasserman said. "Clemson’s offense was difficult to watch at times last year yet the Tigers did nothing in the portal, which has been my ongoing critique of Dabo Swinney. Though Clemson should have one of the best defenses in the country, quarterback Cade Klubnik is going to have to turn into a magician to get this team back into the national championship discussion. It’s a shame that’s the case because we aren’t far removed from the Tigers being a national favorite year after year."

The Athletic's projected Playoff off of that ranking is Ohio State, Georgia, Miami, Kansas State, Oregon, Texas, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Alabama, Missouri, Michigan and a Group of Five conference champion.

Clemson last made College Football Playoff in 2020 with Trevor Lawrence and a sixth-consecutive CFP for the program. The Tigers won two national titles and made four national championship games in that run. Swinney's group last won the ACC in 2022, which is now a very-likely path to the Playoff with the Top 5 conference champions automatically making the now 12-team field.