Prior to 2015, Clemson finished in the top 5 of the Associated Press’ Final College Football Poll just one time. Of course, that came in 1981 when the Tigers’ won the program its first national championship.
However, since 2015, Clemson has finished every year in the AP Poll’s top 4, including 2020. Earlier on Tuesday morning the AP released its final poll of the year and the Tigers finished No. 3.
Alabama, who beat Ohio State 52-24 in the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship Game on Monday night, was No. 1, while the Buckeyes finished No. 2. Texas A&M was No. 4 in the final poll, while Notre Dame closed out the top 5.
Tuesday’s ranking marks the first time in history the Tigers (10-2) finish a season ranked No. 3 in the final AP Poll. Besides 1981, Clemson also finished atop the AP Poll in 2016 and 2018 after beating the Crimson Tide in both CFP National Championship Games.
Clemson finished No. 2 in the final rankings in 2015 and 2019, losing to Alabama and LSU in the national championship games. They finished No. 4 in the 2017 final poll. The Tigers also finished No. 8 in the final rankings following the 2013 season.
The Tigers’ No. 3 ranking also solidified Clemson’s streak of 56 consecutive weeks being ranked in the top 4 of the AP Poll, the longest current streak in college football.
Of course, this year marked the 10th straight year Clemson has finished a season in the Final AP Poll. It is also the seventh time they finished inside the top 10 in the last eight seasons. The Tigers finished No. 22 in 2011, while the 2012 team was ranked No. 11 in the final poll. The 2014 squad finished was No. 15 after a 10-3 season.
During their current six-year run inside the AP’s Top 4, the Tigers are 79-7 with two national championships, six ACC Championships, six berths in the CFP. Only Alabama can claim more during this current six year run.
Final Associated Press College Football Top 25 Poll
| 1 |
 |
Alabama (13-0) | 1 | 1,525 (61) | ||
| 2 |
 |
Ohio State (7-1) | 3 | 1,463 | ||
| 3 |
 |
Clemson (10-2) | 2 | 1,378 | ||
| 4 |
 |
Texas A&M (9-1) | 5 | 1,324 | ||
| 5 |
 |
Notre Dame (10-2) | 4 | 1,279 | ||
| 6 |
 |
Oklahoma (9-2) | 8 | 1,243 | ||
| 7 |
 |
Georgia (8-2) | 11 | 1,144 | ||
| 8 |
 |
Cincinnati (9-1) | 6 | 1,074 | ||
| 9 |
 |
Iowa State (9-3) | 12 | 1,035 | ||
| 10 |
 |
Northwestern (7-2) | 15 | 893 | ||
| 11 |
 |
Brigham Young (11-1) | 13 | 862 | ||
| 12 |
 |
Indiana (6-2) | 7 | 773 | ||
| 13 |
 |
Florida (8-4) | 10 | 764 | ||
| 14 |
 |
Coastal Carolina (11-1) | 9 | 725 | ||
| 15 |
 |
Louisiana-Lafayette (10-1) | 16 | 664 | ||
| 16 | Iowa (6-2) | 17 | 581 | |||
| 17 | Liberty (10-1) | 23 | 576 | |||
| 18 | North Carolina (8-4) | 14 | 532 | |||
| 19 | Texas (7-3) | 20 | 485 | ||
| 20 |
 |
Oklahoma State (8-3) | 417 | ||
| 21 |
 |
USC (5-1) | 21 | 306 | |
| 22 |
 |
Miami (FL) (8-3) | 18 | 284 | |
| 23 | Ball State (7-1) | 183 | |||
| 24 |
 |
San Jose State (7-1) | 19 | 80 | |
| 25 |
 |
Buffalo (6-1) |