CBS Sports handed out a grade to Clemson for the first half of the 2026 college football season.

The Tigers (4-2, 2-1 ACC) received a “D” grade, reflecting an uneven start marked by inconsistent play and a pair of lopsided losses to LSU and Miami.

Written by CBS Sports analyst Chip Patterson, the midseason review highlights how Clemson’s performance on the field has fallen well short of “the typical expectations for Clemson football.”

“We can’t technically prove it, but this feels like the lowest grade possible for a team that’s still very much alive in the conference title race,” Patterson wrote. “Clemson is 4-2 overall and 2-1 in ACC play, and the Tigers have already faced a lot of the tougher opponents on their schedule.

“But the quality of the performance has been far below the typical expectations for Clemson football. Among ACC teams, the Tigers have been a bottom-five offense and fairly middling on defense, with quarterback play that has produced two passing touchdowns to five interceptions between Tait Reynolds and Chris Vizzina. That hasn’t been anywhere near the standard of a program looking to win the league for a third time in five years.”

Going into the 2026 season, Clemson wasn’t ranked in the preseason AP Top 25 Poll for the first time since 2011, while the Tigers were ranked No. 23 in the preseason Coaches Poll — Clemson’s lowest preseason Coaches Poll ranking since 2011, when the Tigers started the year unranked.

Up next for Dabo Swinney’s team is the home matchup vs. Virginia Tech (5-2, 2-2 ACC) on Saturday (7 p.m., ESPN).

The Hokies, led by first-year head coach James Franklin, earned a “B-” midseason mark.

“Saturday’s game at Death Valley is a measuring stick moment for Virginia Tech football in Year 1 under James Franklin. And if the Hokies can go get a win, this might jump up a letter grade,” Patterson wrote.

“With a 5-2 record through seven games, the Hokies are pacing toward an 8-4 finish that meets most reasonable expectations for Franklin’s first season in Blacksburg. They survived the double heartbreak of a missed kick to win against Pitt and the ensuing nightmare trip to Cal to find themselves right on the doorstep of a couple of statement win opportunities. This Virginia Tech team is about to play road games at Clemson, SMU and Miami in the next five weeks, and how the Hokies perform will give us a great idea of where the program currently sits in the ACC hierarchy.”

Two teams in the conference — No. 1 Miami (6-0, 4-0) and No. 17 Wake Forest (6-1, 4-1) — received an “A” from Patterson at midseason. On the other end of the spectrum, Stanford (3-4, 1-3) is the lone team in the ACC to get the dreaded “F”.