A national outlet recently ranked all 133 teams in college football for the 2023 campaign.

Clemson came in outside the top 10 in Athlon Sports’ CFB Top 133 team rankings, which predict where each team will finish at the end of the season.

Dabo Swinney’s team checked in at No. 12 entering Swinney’s 15th full season as Clemson’s head coach, Garrett Riley’s first year as the Tigers’ offensive coordinator and Cade Klubnik’s first full season as the starting signal-caller.

“Dabo Swinney’s team will begin 2023 in some unfamiliar territory: Florida State could edge Clemson as the preseason favorite by most in the ACC,” Athlon’s Steven Lassan wrote. “The Tigers aren’t going anywhere, however. A loaded defense should rank among the best in college football, and the offense is expected to improve under new coordinator Garrett Riley. Quarterback Cade Klubnik is poised to deliver a breakout season in his first full year as the starter, but the Tigers need to solidify the offensive line and receiving corps to allow the sophomore to maximize his potential. Running back Will Shipley is back as one of the top playmakers in the ACC. Clemson hosts Florida State in the regular season, but these two programs could be poised for two showdowns in the division-less ACC.”

Florida State is No. 7 in Athlon’s projected 133 for the 2023 season. North Carolina (No. 25) is the only other ACC team in the top 25.

Two-time defending national champion Georgia is No. 1, as you’d expect, with Michigan, Alabama, Southern Cal and Ohio State rounding out the top five.

Clemson went 11-3 (9-0 ACC) in 2022 and won its seventh ACC championship in the last eight seasons but missed the College Football Playoff for the second year in a row after making it every year from 2015-20. The seventh-ranked Tigers fell 31-14 to No. 6 Tennessee in the Orange Bowl to end the 2022 campaign.

Clemson finished the 2022 season ranked No. 13 in the AP Top 25 and No. 12 in the AFCA Coaches Poll.

The Tigers open the 2023 season against Duke on Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 4) at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C. The game is set to kick off at 8 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN.

Duke is No. 36 in Athlon’s CFB Top 133 team rankings for ’23.

We are excited to announce our second annual Dear Old Clemson event for the freshmen football class.  Come out on July 22 at 10 AM at the indoor football facility for a meet and greet autograph session with the scholarship freshmen from the 2023 class.  Clemson coordinators Garrett Riley and Wes Goodwin will be attendance and speak at the event.

Get your tickets today at Dear Old Clemson.