ESPN ranks Clemson just outside the top tier in college football

Despite high expectations and a loaded returning roster, Clemson football isn’t quite getting top-tier billing from ESPN’s David Hale just yet.

In its annual ranking of all 136 FBS teams by tiers, ESPN placed Dabo Swinney’s Tigers in Tier 2—just below a split Tier 1 group featuring Ohio State and Texas at the top, followed by Georgia, Oregon, and Penn State.Clemson is grouped alongside LSU, Alabama, Miami, Michigan, and Notre Dame. According to ESPN’s David Hale, these teams should have clear Playoff expectations, even if none are considered locks.

“Anything less than a playoff appearance would feel like a serious disappointment for the teams in Tier 2,” Hale wrote.The Tigers will get an immediate Tier 2 test in their season opener against LSU, a team that hasn’t won a season opener since 2019. Clemson, meanwhile, has dropped three of its last four. Hale added that a loss wouldn’t necessarily derail Clemson’s season, but it would restart the national conversation around Swinney.

Still, you should definitely be able to make the case for Clemson in Tier 1. Between Cade Klubnik entering his third year as the starter, a stacked defensive line led by T.J. Parker and Peter Woods, and a wide receiver room that’s as deep and explosive as it’s been in years, this is one of the most talented rosters in college football.

Clemson’s future opponents are scattered throughout ESPN’s tiers. South Carolina is in Tier 3, while SMU, Louisville, and Georgia Tech land in Tiers 4, 5, and 7, respectively. The Tigers’ lowest-ranked opponent is Troy in Tier 15.

While Hale referenced an old jab from an SEC coach about Clemson’s schedule being easier, he admitted that a full season of games against the Tigers wouldn’t be far off from what Florida faces in 2025—a nod to just how tough Clemson may actually be.

Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X…

Source link : https://clemsonwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/clemson/football/2025/08/07/clemson-football-espn-tier-rankings/85566414007/

Author :

Publish date : 2025-08-07 21:31:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.