Clemson heads into the 2026 season hoping to bounce back from a 7-6 record in 2025, the second-worst season in head coach Dabo Swinney’s full 17 seasons. Following a 1-3 and then 3-5 start, Clemson won its last four regular season games in 2025 as the program became bowl eligible for a 27th consecutive season, before finishing the year with a 22-10 loss to Penn State in the Pinstripe Bowl.

Considering how things transpired for the Tigers last year, after being ranked No. 4 in the preseason AP Poll and coming into the season with national championship expectations, ESPN recently ranked Clemson as the No. 1 disappointment from the 2025 college football season.

Now, however, looking ahead to next season, another national outlet sees Swinney’s squad as one of the more intriguing teams.

Athlon Sports highlighted the eight “most intriguing teams” in college football for the 2026 campaign, and Clemson landed on the list.

Here’s what Athlon’s Kyle Wood wrote about the Tigers:

It was Dabo Swinney who accused the Rebels of tampering. The Tigers coach hit the portal harder than he ever has on the heels of a 7-6 season, his worst since 2010. Granted, nine newcomers pales in comparison to the size of many other programs’ transfer hauls. But that change in approach — and the fallout from Luke Ferrelli’s jump to Ole Miss — shows that Swinney knows he’s fallen behind some of his peers.

Clemson was projected as a title contender in 2025 and, at worst, a threat to win the ACC. Instead, the Tigers limped to a 1-3 start and were in danger of missing a bowl game before they pulled it together in November. That experienced, albeit underperforming, group could lose as many as three first-round picks to the NFL, plus quarterback Cade Klubnik. Swinney is counting on new faces and a reunion with offensive coordinator Chad Morris to return to form.

Other than Miami, the ACC is not rife with championship-caliber teams. A quick turnaround is entirely possible, especially for a coach of Swinney’s caliber. But it won’t take long to know if the Tigers have truly turned a corner with a Week 1 test at LSU. What’s more, Little Ol’ Clemson could open the season unranked for the first time since 2011.

Among the others on Athlon’s list of the most intriguing college football teams for 2026 is Clemson’s aforementioned season-opening opponent, LSU, as well as Virginia Tech. Clemson will travel to Baton Rouge to face Lane Kiffin’s LSU team on Sept. 5, while James Franklin’s Hokies will play at Clemson on Oct. 24.

Clemson recently made USA Today’s way-too-early top 25 rankings for the 2026 season, coming in at No. 19. You can see the Tigers’ full 2026 schedule here.