Preseason rankings have been rolling out online ahead of the 2026 college football season, which kicks off this weekend.  

The Athletic ranked all 138 FBS teams for 2026, and Clemson landed at No. 33.

“Both sides of the ball lost a lot this spring, including nine players drafted from a 7-6 team. Who will take over at quarterback, and can the running game get anything going?” The Athletic’s Chris Vannini wrote.

Fox Sports’ RJ Young has the Tigers just outside the top 25, at No. 28 in his rankings of every FBS team.

“Chad Morris is back as offensive coordinator. Defensive coordinator Tom Allen is staying, and quarterback Christopher Vizzina looks the part. But Dabo Swinney is up against the wall,” Young wrote. “Realize that Clemson had more 2026 NFL Draft picks (nine) than wins in 2025 (seven) and then know that Swinney is coaching for more than staying in the top 25 this season, which is why I think Clemson will turn it around.

“It’s time Clemson remembered it has seven College Football Playoff appearances in 11 years. Ordinarily, I’d rank Clemson inside the top 25. But what have Swinney and company done to earn that this offseason other than moan about losing Luke Ferrelli to Ole Miss? Nah.

“This season, the Tigers are gonna have to earn their way into the top 25 because they’ve demonstrated over the last two seasons they’ve been Lil Ol’ Clemson.”

Clemson is one spot higher, at No. 27, in the preseason CBS Sports 138 rankings, while the Tigers cracked the top 25 of the USA TODAY Sports preseason FBS re-rank, coming in at No. 25.

Pro Football Network’s preseason college football power rankings placed Clemson at No. 22.

“Oh, how things change in the course of a year,” PFN wrote. “Ahead of the 2025 season, Dabo Swinney’s Clemson Tigers were considered a legitimate national championship contender. Instead, a 7-6 season that included a 4-4 ACC campaign unfolded with calls for change coming from outside of the program.

“Swinney remains, and they were even a little more adventurous in the transfer portal than we’ve seen before. There is some uncertainty at the quarterback position, and the loss of talent to the NFL clouds the ceiling of this team, but never discount a motivated Clemson team — especially one with two game-changing wide receivers and a slew of defensive playmakers.”

As for the 2026 preseason polls, Clemson checked in at No. 23 in the Coaches Poll, but the Tigers are unranked in the preseason AP Top 25 for the first time since 2011.

Clemson opens the season on the road with a highly anticipated matchup against LSU on Sept. 5 (7:30 p.m., ABC).