Despite finishing the 2025 season unranked after a highly disappointing 7-6 season, Clemson still landed at No. 23 in the 2026 preseason Coaches Poll that was released Aug. 4.
It’s Clemson’s lowest preseason Coaches Poll ranking since 2011, when the Tigers started the year unranked, and Dabo Swinney’s team enters the 2026 season facing plenty of transition, uncertainty and question marks.
Speaking of question marks, USA Today Sports broke down “one lingering question” for each team in the preseason Coaches Poll Top 25.
For Clemson, USA Today says it’s whether new offensive coordinator Chad Morris can “fix things on the ground and on third down.”
“Rehired this past winter after holding the same spot from 2011-14, offensive coordinator Chad Morris faces two pressing tasks beyond his work in getting quarterback Christopher Vizzina ready for the starting job,” USA Today’s Paul Myerberg wrote. “Last year’s team was held under 100 rushing yards five times while converting just 34.3% of the time on third down.”
As far as the running game is concerned, with Morris now back in charge of the offense, it’s fairly safe to assume it will once again be a point of focus at Clemson. Far too often last season, former offensive coordinator Garrett Riley would get away from the run. Clemson could have a really good stable of backs this season, starting with talented sophomore Gideon Davidson and SMU transfer speedster Chris Johnson Jr.
Clemson will open the season on Sept. 5 on the road against LSU, which checked in at No. 13 in the preseason Coaches Poll.
USA Today says the key question for LSU, led by new head coach Lane Kiffin, is “how quickly does this come together?”
“The Tigers will need to hit the ground running with the season opener at home against Clemson,” Myerberg wrote. “But what will determine LSU’s status as a playoff contender is how well this team comes together before games at Ole Miss and home against A&M to end September. The talent is there for Kiffin’s debut to be a smashing success.”
Clemson will face one other preseason Coaches Poll Top 25 team during the regular season — No. 7 Miami on Oct. 3 at Clemson’s Memorial Stadium.
The lingering question for the Hurricanes, according to USA Today, is whether their defensive line can be “even better.”
“Miami lost a pair of wrecking balls in Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor but could be just as dominant up front in 2026,” Myerberg wrote. “The Hurricanes are loaded in the middle behind Ahmad Moten and Justin Scott. It’ll come down to the edges, where senior Damon Wilson II is a breakout candidate.”
Ohio State is the No. 1 team in the preseason Coaches Poll, with Oregon, Georgia, Texas and Notre Dame rounding out the top five. Defending national champion Indiana is No. 6.