Following the conclusion of Monday night’s national championship game between Miami and Indiana, ESPN released its Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings for the 2026 season.

Coming off a 7-6 season in 2025, Clemson did not make ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2026. However, it does feature a couple of teams that the Tigers are scheduled to face next season.

Clemson will play host to Miami at Memorial Stadium during the 2026 campaign. The Hurricanes, fresh off their national title defeat at the hands of the Hoosiers, landed at No. 8 in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25.

“After reaching the CFP National Championship, the Hurricanes are losing many of their best players,” ESPN’s Mark Schlabach wrote. “It seemed like they’d take a step back in 2026, but then Duke quarterback Darian Mensah went into the transfer portal at the 11th hour. He threw for 3,973 yards with 34 touchdowns and 6 interceptions as a sophomore. He would be a Heisman Trophy favorite running coordinator Shannon Dawson’s offense if he ends up in Miami. Getting tailback Mark Fletcher Jr. to return, along with star receiver Malachi Toney, will help. The losses on the defensive line are significant, with Bain and Mesidor projected as potential first-round picks in the NFL draft. Toure, Bissainthe and Thomas were the team’s leading tacklers going into Monday night’s game.”

Clemson will open the 2026 season against LSU at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge on Sept. 5. The Bayou Bengals are ranked No. 15 in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25.

“Love him or hate him, there’s little debate that new LSU coach Lane Kiffin builds winning programs, and his teams score a lot of points,” Schlabach wrote. “The Tigers held off Miami, Tennessee and others to land Leavitt, who is coming off foot surgery. In 2024, he led the Sun Devils to a Big 12 title by throwing for 2,885 yards and 24 touchdowns with six interceptions. Kiffin and his staff loaded the roster with proven receivers, and they grabbed several transfers to rebuild what was a very mediocre offensive line in 2025. Kiffin grabbed three potential starters from Ole Miss, his former school, in Harper, Dottery and Umanmielen. Retaining defensive coordinator Blake Baker was a coup, as was persuading linebacker Whit Weeks to come back. The Tigers will play Clemson, Texas A&M, Alabama and Texas at home, but no game will be more anticipated than their Sept. 19 SEC opener at Ole Miss.”

Clemson is not scheduled to play Louisville or SMU during the 2026 regular season, but both of those ACC teams made ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25, with the Cardinals checking in at No. 14 and the Mustangs appearing at No. 17.

After winning the national title, Indiana is No. 1 in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25. Texas, Notre Dame, Georgia and Oregon round out the top five.