Last year, Clemson was ranked No. 4 in the preseason AP Poll and came into the season with national championship expectations, only to go 7-6 and finish the year with a loss to Penn State in the Pinstripe Bowl.
That 7-6 record in 2025 marks the second-worst season in Dabo Swinney’s tenure as Clemson’s head coach. The only worse season was 2010, when the Tigers went 6-7.
While last season was a hugely disappointing one, multiple former Tigers believe that Swinney will get his program back on the right track.
The Athletic’s Scott Dochterman spoke with Clemson draft prospects at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, and according to Dochterman, they “have faith that Swinney will steer the program in the right direction.