The Clemson Tigers were once a perennial powerhouse in college football.
From 2015 to 2019, Clemson appeared in four national championship games and won two titles — all under the leadership of Dabo Swinney, who built the program into one of the sport’s elite.
Now entering his 17th season, Swinney surprisingly has Clemson back in the national title conversation — surprising because, not long ago, he was openly skeptical of the direction college football was headed with the rise of NIL and the transfer portal.
But his outlook appears to have shifted.
"I'm probably having more fun these past few years than I've had in a long time because I like the challenge," Swinney told CBS Sports. "Challenge is fun. I don't think there's ever been a better time to lead in college football than right now."
Swinney’s renewed energy could be tied to what may be his strongest team in years. Clemson returns 16 starters, including quarterback Cade Klubnik, a potential Heisman Trophy contender and first round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.
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Despite the optimism, Swinney’s recent track record has caused a dip in perception. ESPN ranked him third on its list of best college football coaches heading into the 2025 season, behind Georgia’s Kirby Smart and Ohio State’s Ryan Day.
Even that ranking was a point of debate. ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura, who placed Swinney outside his top five, explained his reasoning.
"No shade here," Bonagura wrote. "There's not a clear line of delineation between No. 3 and No. 6, and there are logical arguments that could be used to advocate for Swinney as high as No. 1. So when splitting hairs, I think I dropped Swinney below the consensus because his recent success hasn't matched his peak success."
Swinney, the winningest bowl coach in ACC history with 12 victories, has watched his teams lose three or more games in each of the past four seasons — a stark contrast from the previous seven years, when it happened just three times total.
Still, Clemson made a surprise return to the ACC title and College Football Playoff last season before falling to Texas in the first round. The appearance marked Clemson’s seventh in the CFP — the second-most of any program.
If Swinney takes his team even further in 2025, he won’t be outside anyone’s top three much longer.