Clemson Makes National Analyst’s Post-Spring Top 25
By: Gavin Oliver May 18, 2026

Clemson recently appeared in USA Today’s post-spring college football rankings, coming in at No. 24, and the Tigers also made CBS Sports’ post-spring top 25, checking in at No. 22.

Now, Clemson is featured in another post-spring top 25.

Fox Sports national college football analyst RJ Young put the Tigers at No. 22 in his post-spring rankings.

Here’s what Young wrote about Clemson, which is coming off a disappointing 7-6 season in 2025 after starting the year ranked No. 4 in the preseason AP Poll with national title aspirations:

“Offensive coordinator Chad Morris is back. Defensive coordinator Tom Allen stayed. Quarterback Christopher Vizzina looks the part. But head coach Dabo Swinney enters 2026 with his back against the wall. Clemson produced more NFL Draft picks (nine) than wins (seven) in 2025, a reality that makes this season about more than merely hanging around the top 25. Swinney knows it, which is why I think Clemson responds.”

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney after the Tigers’ 35-24 loss to SMU on October 18, 2025 at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. (Bart Boatwright/The Clemson Insider)

Reigning national champion Indiana is No. 1 in Young’s rankings, with Ohio State, Georgia, Oregon and Texas rounding out the top five.

Notre Dame is No. 6, and Miami is the highest-ranked ACC team at No. 7.

The Tigers will play host to the Hurricanes at Memorial Stadium in Clemson on Oct. 3.

“Former Duke quarterback Darian Mensah broke his contract to join the Hurricanes after leading the ACC in passing yards (3,973) and passing touchdowns (34) while guiding the Blue Devils to a wildly improbable ACC championship on the strength of a 7-5 regular season and the most preposterous tiebreaker protocol in college football history,” Young wrote. “Now he must follow Cam Ward’s No. 1 overall selection after a 2024 season in Coral Gables, and Carson Beck’s run to the national title game in 2025.”

Directly behind Miami in Young’s rankings is LSU at No. 8.

Of course, LSU and Clemson will kick off their respective 2026 campaigns when they square off Sept. 5 at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.

“Hoo, boy! If I told you 2026 LSU looks like 2025 Texas Tech with a little seasoning, you’d probably understand what I mean: the Bayou Bengals have decided money ain’t no problem,” Young wrote. “LSU made Lane Kiffin one of the highest-paid coaches in the sport and the highest-paid ever without a championship on his résumé. They also gave him the resources to bring in former Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt, Colorado offensive tackle Jordan Seaton, and Ole Miss defensive end Princewill Umanmielen. For a program that hasn’t won a national title since 2019, LSU looks fully built to change that.”

Former Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables’ Oklahoma team, fresh off a College Football Playoff appearance last season, is No. 10 in Young’s post-spring top 25.

After Clemson at No. 22, SMU (No. 23) is the only other ACC team in Young’s rankings. The Tigers aren’t scheduled to play the Mustangs during the 2026 regular season.