Clemson is all the way Back

January 2026 will mark seven years since the last time Clemson was in the big game, when they were drubbed by the greatest college football team of this era, 2019/20 LSU. It marked the end of an era, when Clemson made four national championship games in five seasons, winning two of them.

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Since the departure of quarterback Trevor Lawrence after the 2020 Covid season, the program has not felt the same. Despite having high win totals in the time since, they have not been able to compete on a national level like they once could, but that should change this season. Here's what has happened in the time since that national championship loss, and why they can return to that caliber in 2025.

2021-2024: High win totals, but did not meet the standard

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First, it is important to put Clemson's "struggles" into context. Since 2021, their win totals have (in order) been: 10, 11, 9, 10.

For 95% or more programs, a nine or ten win season would be considered a great success, and for some, one of the best seasons in program history. Relative to the rest of the nation, these are far from struggling. Relative to the standard that head coach Dabo Swinney has set at Clemson, the win totals are (mostly) good. So, what's the issue? Their inability to compete nationally and against other great teams. The most obvious example of this, and perhaps a rude awakening for Dabo and his Tigers, was the week one blowout loss to Georgia, losing 34-3. There was a time where Clemson would have been much more likely to be on the other end of a result similar to that of their opener against Georgia.

Clemson results against AP-Top 10 Opponents (2021-2024)

2021: L vs # 5 Georgia (10-3)

2022: W vs # 10 NC State (30-20)

2022: L vs # 6 Tennessee (31-14)

2023: L vs # 4 Florida St. (31-24)

2024: L vs # 1 Georgia (34-3)

2024: W vs # 8 SMU (34-31)

2024: L vs # 4 Texas (38-24)

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2-5, 132 points for, 195 points against

Their adjustment from the Trevor Lawrence era looked great on paper. The heir to his throne was five-star quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, who, similar to Lawrence, had essentially a perfect high school rating (247 Sports). DJU's rise to success was a slow burn, as he threw more picks than touchdowns in 2021, and had his best statistical season in 2022, prior to transferring to Oregon State. The struggles at quarterback and lacking the elite talent out wide they had during their national championship runs (think Tee Higgins, Justyn Ross, Hunter Renfrow, Amari Rodgers, etc.) led to extreme offensive inconsistencies.

Although the best teams under Dabo Swinney have had great quarterbacks, and exciting players at skill positions on the offense, it always felt like the mark of the great teams came on defense. In 2017, 2018, and 2019, the Tigers were in the top three in team defense, and were particularly great along the defensive line. The 2019 draft saw three Clemson defensive linemen get drafted in the first seventeen picks of the first round. The trend of great defensive players stayed mostly constant, with nearly all of Clemson's highest drafted players being on the defensive side of the ball, from the 2022-2025 drafts.

What led to Clemson falling out of national contention?

Head coach Dabo Swinney's inability to adapt to the portal and NIL era put set Clemson back a few years.

As great as Dabo has been, and as hard as it is to criticize a head coach with multiple national championships, it is hard not to put much of the blame on him. Yes, players in important positions struggled, as discussed, but it extends beyond that.

Prior to the 2024/25 winter portal cycle, Dabo outright refused to use the portal. He believed in his system, and building his program completely in house. In the 2024 offseason, Clemson were the only team to not gain a player through the transfer portal, outside of the service academies, who cannot even accept transfers.

Dabo was also heavily against the use of NIL during its inception in 2021. Dabo said on NIL:

"I was thinking through it, and for me, we built this progr(u)m on NIL... We built this progrum on God's name, image, and likeness."

A great sentiment, to be sure. However, the lack of foresight into the importance of NIL and the portal in the modern landscape of college football directly led to Clemson falling a step behind the rest of the top contenders in the nation.

Clemson has opened up to the portal this offseason, bringing in three new players: Will Heldt, a four-star edge rusher from Purdue, Jeremiah Alexander, a three-star linebacker from Alabama, and three-star receiver, Tristan Smith, who comes to Clemson from Southeast Missouri.

Why is Clemson (all the way) Back in 2025?

They have assembled their best roster since they made the national championship in the 2019/20 season, returning the most production in the nation, at 81%.

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Clemson will have:

• A Heisman contending quarterback (Cade Klubnik)

• Two of the best defensive linemen in the nation (TJ Parker, Peter Woods)

• A pair of extremely promising true sophomore receivers (TJ Moore, Bryant Wesco Jr.)

• A true sophomore, former five-star LB (Sammy Brown)

• A rock solid secondary

• Former Penn State defensive coordinator and Indiana head coach, Tom Allen.

This edition of Clemson has been building since 2023, when most of the significant names were either developing mostly behind the scenes, or learning as they went in games. Notably, quarterback Cade Klubnik struggled off the start. Many were quick to write him off as a five-star bust, but his 2024 season showcased a more full extent of his abilities and potential. He used his legs more, and made challenging throws on a more consistent basis.

In my opinion, the real story of this team comes on the defensive line. TJ Parker was one of the most productive pass rushers in the ACC in 2024, putting together 11 sacks, 20 TFL, and 6 forced fumbles. He is fast and twitchy, yet powerful off the edge, and pairs perfectly with his running mate, Peter Woods, who is not only one of the best defensive linemen in the nation, nor one of the best defenders, he is one of the best overall players in the country. He is an agile 6'3", well over 300 pound unit, and has earned an 89.7 run stop grade per PFF, since 2023. This is the best defensive line unit that Clemson has put on the field since 2018, which featured three first rounders.

The roster is incredibly well balanced, and despite losing all-ACC running back Phil Mafah to the NFL, the Tigers really only need one of their three more-than-serviceable receivers to pop in order to seriously succeed offensively.

Clemson's Schedule

Credit: Clemson Athletics

Clemson refuse to give themselves a break to start their schedule. For the second year in a row, they will play one of the top contenders in the SEC to kick off the season. This year, they are at home against LSU, playing for the naming rights to "Death Valley" (not actually -- but kind of).

The two hardest games on their schedule bookend their season, as South Carolina is always a tough out, let alone when they have a Heisman front-runner behind center, in Lanorris Sellers.

Outside of those two non-conference matchups, the conference schedule only has a couple games of note, being Louisville, SMU, and Georgia Tech. Unless Bill Belichek's Tar Heels can really put something together with the roster they have, this is a more than manageable schedule for a team of Clemson's caliber.

Clemson finally feel like they have all the pieces in all the right places, for the first time in years. They are absolutely loaded, and deserving of the high praise they have received through spring ball.