by Kyle Golik
Two weeks ago, it seemed Clemson was in the driver’s seat to reach Charlotte for the ACC Championship Game. But after a 33-21 loss to Louisville, which dropped Clemson to 6-2, the pollsters punished the Tigers, ranking them at No. 23—a far cry from the halcyon days of the late 2010s when Clemson was contending with Alabama as the top program in the country.
Now, Clemson has an outside shot of returning to Charlotte to reclaim their first ACC Championship since 2022. Yet, despite these long odds, head coach Dabo Swinney doesn’t use them in his motivation for the Tigers.
“Not specifically about that. We’ve talked about how great it would be to get to 7-1,” Swinney said this week ahead of their visit to Pittsburgh. “That’s the best we can finish at this point, so that’s what we can control. We were 4-4 in the league a year ago. So to get better and to have a much better conference record, we’ve put ourselves in position. We’re still in the thick of it. We don’t control what other teams are doing, but we focus on what we can control.”
In many ways, Swinney cannot worry about things like NIL money, recruiting rankings, or transfer portal candidates – especially since Clemson is one of only four programs that hasn’t brought in any players from the portal.
At best, Clemson can go 10-2 during the regular season, but with numerous SEC teams likely to end up 10-2 as well, Clemson may be left on the outside looking in. Many point to Clemson’s lack of competitiveness against Georgia in Week 1 as a factor.
In the 34-3 rout, Georgia outgained Clemson 447 to 186 in total offense and was four for 14 on third and fourth down opportunities.
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With Clemson currently on the outside looking in at the 12-team playoff, does Swinney need to make it this year to justify his stance?
Currently, Clemson has the No. 17 recruiting class in 247Sports Class of 2025 rankings, and is in a fierce battle for several top four-star prospects, including defensive lineman Isaiah Campbell (No. 5 defensive lineman) and cornerback Graceson Littleton (No. 9 cornerback).
From a traditional recruiting perspective, Swinney’s message still resonates as he pursues his vision for Clemson football.
Ultimately, Clemson fans have tasted the highest of highs playing in four College Football Playoff National Championship games between 2015 and 2019, something they are itching to get back to.
A key player or two from the transfer portal could be the difference between Clemson making the playoff and being left out. With Swinney’s stance to be 100% homegrown and committed to his program, staying on the outside really means being on the outside.
The expanded playoff has absorbed the New Year’s Six bowl games, which previously offered teams a consolation path to a successful season. Now, if Clemson is on the outside, it could mean settling for destinations like the Cheez-It (Citrus) Bowl—where they played in 2021—the Gator Bowl, last year’s landing spot, or even the Holiday Bowl, which The Athletic currently projects for them, or the Sun Bowl.
If Clemson fails to return to the playoff this season it will mark the third time in four seasons Clemson did not make a New Year’s Six bowl. I believe this is where Swinney will begin to feel the heat about his stance on transfers because it isn’t necessary to suffer when you don’t have to.
When the playoff field was only four teams, it was easier to accept missing out given how tough it was to get into the top four. But with a 12-team playoff, Clemson’s current standing raises questions. Over the past four seasons, Clemson has struggled to stay in the top 10, finishing outside the top 15 in 2021 and 2023, and is again on the bubble this year. What does that say about the program now?
Clemson doesn’t control its own playoff destiny this season. Swinney can take pride in a potential 7-1 ACC record, but ultimately, the goal is making the playoffs. He needs to justify his stance somehow with results and unfortunately, even an 11-win season capped with a bowl victory may not be enough, even though Swinney will make you believe it is.
If Clemson can’t find a way to make a 12-team playoff, the sanctimonious Swinney needs to embrace the portal. Adding a piece or two that would fit your system and culture isn’t impossible, and, while it’s no guarantee, it could make a difference—just look at their ACC rival Florida State this season. This would show Clemson supporters a commitment that you are trying to bring in top talent to Clemson to return to the playoffs. To “buck the trend” successfully, you must achieve significant results, and in today’s era, playoffs are the standard. By not reaching them, Swinney’s stance weakens rather than strengthens.