Preseason Landscape
Clemson Tigers are set to open the 2026 college football season on the road, traveling to Baton Rouge to face LSU in the season’s first showdown.
The FWAA‑NFF Super 16 preseason poll left the Tigers unranked, though they received eight votes that keep them in the conversation for a top‑16 spot.
In that poll, Ohio State leads with 839 points and 28 first‑place votes, followed by Oregon, Notre Dame and Texas, who round out the top five with 772, 734 and 711 points respectively.
Miami Hurricanes are the only ACC team represented, landing at seventh overall, while other vote‑receivers include Penn State, Tennessee, SMU and Washington.
Clemson’s schedule also features a pivotal Week 5 matchup with Miami at Clemson Memorial Stadium on October 3, a game that could heavily influence their ACC trajectory.
The Tigers aim to rebound from a 7‑6 record in 2025, a season that began with a 1‑3 slump, hoping early victories will lift them into the national conversation.
With a blend of home‑field advantage and challenging away trips, the early stretch of the schedule may well determine whether Clemson breaks into the upper echelon of the rankings.