The first wave of preseason bowl projections is beginning to paint a picture of how national outlets view Clemsonfootball entering the 2026 season, and the outlook isn’t especially optimistic.
After a 7-6 finish a year ago, the Tigers are facing more questions than they’ve had in quite some time. Dabo Swinney spent the offseason trying to spark a turnaround by reshaping parts of his coaching staff, including bringing back former offensive coordinator Chad Morris, while also replacing a large group of players who moved on to the NFL.
Athlon Sports believes Clemson will improve enough to earn a postseason trip, but not enough to seriously challenge for the ACC championship or a College Football Playoff berth.
The publication has the Tigers matched up with Washington in the Holiday Bowl, a game Clemson has never played in. If that prediction becomes reality, it would also mark the first meeting between the two schools.
Athlon’s conference forecast is just as telling. The Tigers are picked to finish fourth in the ACC, behind the league’s top contenders and outside the championship game.
Much of that projection centers around uncertainty at quarterback. With Christopher Vizzina and Tait Reynolds battling for the starting job, Athlon believes Clemson’s ceiling will depend on how quickly one of them takes control of the offense. The outlet also pointed to Gideon Davidson, Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore as players capable of giving the Tigers plenty of firepower, though it questioned how quickly an offensive line replacing three starters can come together.
Former Clemson star continues showing he has NBA talent in Summer League
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On the other side of the ball, Athlon sees reason for optimism. Tom Allen inherits a defense built around edge rusher Will Heldt and linebacker Sammy Brown, while transfer additions Elliot Washington II and Jerome Carter III are expected to provide an immediate boost in the secondary.
National expectations are clearly more reserved than they’ve been in recent years. Whether Clemson can outperform those projections will likely depend on how quickly the new-look offense finds its footing and whether the Tigers can return to competing near the top of the ACC.
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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Where Clemson lands in Athlon Sports bowl projections for 2026-27 season
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