Through the first four weeks of the college football season, some preseason national title contenders have solidified themselves as true powerhouse programs.
While others, like the Clemson Tigers, have failed to live up to those lofty expectations.
Clemson entered the 2025 season with a No. 4 ranking in the AP Top 25 preseason poll. With a wealth of returning talent after their 10-4 season in 2024, many viewed the Tigers as a strong contender to compete for a national title.
But Clemson is off to a 1-3 start, recording losses against LSU, Georgia Tech and Syracuse. The program’s only win of the season thus far came in an unconvincing 27-16 win over Troy.
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During the most recent episode of his “See Ball Get Ball” podcast, former Georgia Bulldogs star and current college football analyst David Pollack identified Clemson as the “biggest disappointment” of the season so far.
“You know what I learned about Clemson? I learned that they’re this year’s [Florida State],” Pollack said. “That’s what I learned. A lot of things to talk about. A lot of positives. A lot of guys returning. A lot of big names. A lot of reasons for hope, and then so far, you’ve been every bit as disappointing as FSU a year ago.
“Do they go two wins? Maybe not. But right now, there’s not a bigger disappointment in all of college football than what they’ve been so far.”
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Clemson suffered a 34-21 loss at the hands of Syracuse this past weekend. The Tigers coughed up two turnovers (one interception, one fumble) and committed eight penalties for 75 yards.
“It’s incredibly frustrating,” head coach Dabo Swinney said after Saturday’s game, via The State Newspaper. “We just cannot seem to get on the same page and play complementary football. … We kind of work against each other.”
Fans were already starting to show some unrest with Clemson’s rocky start, and Swinney was even asked by reporters last week if he’s felt any heat regarding his job security, prompting a mini rant about his coaching track record.
“If they want me gone, they’re tired of winning, they can send me on the way, because that’s all we’ve done is win,” Swinney said, via CBS Sports. “So if they’re tired of winning … we’ve won this league eight out of the last 10 years. Is that not good?”
Clemson now enters a bye week before facing off against the North Carolina Tar Heels on Oct. 4