Portal Will Be Needed to Restore Clemson to Dominance
By: Will Vandervort October 7, 2026

CLEMSON — I am going to be honest, 3-2 is not where I saw the Clemson Football program being at through the first five weeks of the season.

In the preseason, I thought they would be 2-3 at this point. The Tigers’ win at Cal on Sept. 25 is where I differed from most of you. Yep, that is right, you guys had them at 3-2, and do not deny it.

We all saw the Tigers losing to LSU and Miami. Maybe not in the way they lost, but we all figured they would lose.

Why?

Because it has been a while since we have really seen Clemson win that kind of game – beating a top 5 team or even competing with a top 10 team on the road.

It’s crazy to think, but Clemson used to be LSU and Miami. They used to win these games regularly. It was a team and program that expected to win every game it played, and its fan base expected it as well.

But the Tigers have not defeated a top 5 team since its win over No. 2 Notre Dame in the 2020 ACC Championship Game. That’s right, it has been six long years since Clemson has truly competed against a top 5 opponent.

Since the 2020 ACC Championship Game, the Tigers have:

  • Lost 49-28 to No. 3 Ohio State in the 2021 CFP (Sugar Bowl)
  • Lost 10-3 to No. 5 Georgia to open the 2021 season
  • Won 30-20 to No. 10 NC State in 2022 season
  • Lost to 31-14 to No. 6 Tennessee in the 2023 Orange Bowl
  • Lost 31-24 (OT) to No. 4 Florida State in 2023
  • Lost 34-3 to No. 1 Georgia to open the 2024 season
  • Won 34-31 to No. 8 SMU in the 2024 ACC Championship Game
  • Lost 38-24 to No. 4 Texas in the 2025 CFP First Round
  • Lost 17-10 to No. 9 LSU to open the 2025 season
  • Lost 41-13 to No. 4 Miami last week

If you did the math, the Tigers are 0-6 vs. top 5 opponents and 2-2 in games vs. top 6-10 opponents. They are 7-3 against foes ranked No. 11-25 in the AP Poll since 2021, including this year’s 51-10 loss at No. 11 LSU.

In other words, and I am sure no one is surprised, the Clemson program has slipped.

So, how do they get back there?

Good question. Conventional logic says to hit the transfer portal and find players like they did this past off-season in the secondary. Defensive coordinator Tom Allen proved the transfer portal can be a quick fix if it is used correctly and wisely.

But will Swinney and the current Clemson administration do it right. Will they attack the transfer portal on both sides of the ball like they did on the defensive side last year?

I do not really want to get into what happened last year, as much as what the Tigers need to do this year.

Like we said a few weeks back, Clemson needs a true general manager in place to help build its roster. They need one now.

Why now?

Because this is the month you start looking at current players you want to bring back next year. It is time to get them settled up before the transfer portal opens in January. A lot of these negotiations take time and so the quicker a school can jump on these contracts and get them done, the better.

Also, this when schools start evaluating needs for next season, and paying attention to other players that possibly could enter the transfer portal when it opens. Remember, they cannot contact these players, but with representatives and rumors, schools that evaluate potential portal targets have an idea on who might go in the portal and who isn’t.

College football is a business now and it must be treated as such.

Let’s take a look at the Clemson offense and look at areas of need the Tigers must upgrade if it hopes to get back to where it once was at.

Quarterback

The quarterback situation is an interesting one. Tait Reynolds continues to get better with each game. He was asked to do more in the Miami game than he has all year and he delivered. If he continues to progress, like I think he will, I think Clemson’s quarterback situation is in better shape than it started with this season.

However, it is safe to think Christopher Vizzina will hit the portal in the off-season and Trent Pearman’s eligibility will be used up. The only other returning quarterback is fellow freshman Brock Bradley. That means the Tigers will need to go into the portal and bring an experienced quarterback into the mix to back Reynolds up.

Currently, 3-star product Kharim Hughley is the only quarterback committed to the 2027 recruiting class.

Running Back

Like the quarterback position, Clemson appears to have its bell cow running back. Gideon Davidson has emerged as the Tigers’ most consistent running back and leads the team with 371 yards and 4 TDs this season.

With Davidson now set at running back, look for guys like David Eziomume (who tore his ACL at Cal), Jarvis Green and Jay Haynes to possibly hit the portal. Unless something changes, I can see Chris Johnson, Jr., hit the portal again.

That means Davidson and 2027 commit Gary Walker will be the Tigers’ lone running backs. Clemson will likely look for a running back or two from the portal to help next season.

Wide Receiver

This is tricky. Technically, Bryant Wesco and T.J. Moore are eligible to return to Clemson for two more years. The question is do they turn pro or leave Clemson for more money at another school next year? Clemson is likely to begin negotiations soon, if they have not already. Remember, Swinney and new offensive coordinator Chad Morris were able to talk both into returning after it appeared they might enter the portal last year. Clemson will also do what it can to bring back Tyler Brown for a fifth and final season. The Tigers will also have to try and keep freshmen Naeem Burroughs, Connor Salmin and Gordan Sellars III in the fold, as well as sophomore Juju Preston. It’s hard to imagine Clemson can keep all of those wide receivers, plus the two that are already committed to the 2027 class. It’s likely Wesco and Moore will leave after this season and maybe someone else. If so, with Tristan Smith using his eligibility, Clemson will likely need to shop for one or two wide receivers in the portal.

Tight Ends

Olsen Patt-Henry is eligible for one more year, while Christian Bentancur has two more years. Logan Brooking is a sophomore and then there is freshman Tayveon Wilson, who the coaches really like, as well. Let’s not forget David Pollack’s son, Nicholas, is committed as well for 2027. Will everyone come back? This is a position to watch, but Clemson is definitely trying to get those top 3 tight ends to come back. Remember, as the offensive line improves, if it improves, the tight ends will be used more and more in Chad Morris’ offense.

Offensive Line

Rumor has it Collin Sadler wants to come back for one more season. Can he, since he is a fifth-year senior? I am not sure. But TCI has heard he wants to come back, and the school is looking to see if that is possible. We are also hearing center Harris Sewell wants to return for his fifth year. These two decisions make things interesting on how the team attacks the portal. Regardless, I think it would be wise for Clemson to bring in one, if not two portal linemen, especially at right guard and tackle where there have been issues all season.

The question is will Clemson, for the first time in the portal era, use the portal to put the best team on the field for the Tigers.