ESPN has Clemson outside of the Top 10 in their 2025 preseason outlook
ESPN's newly released Football Power Index may have sparked some buzz, but its view on Clemson is raising eyebrows for all the wrong reasons. The Tigers came in at No. 11 overall — and, even more puzzling, behind Miami in the ACC pecking order.
Despite finishing last season with momentum and boasting one of the most complete rosters in the country, Clemson finds itself ranked behind a Hurricanes team that just swapped out a Heisman finalist for a quarterback recovering from a torn UCL.
Even ESPN's own experts think the FPI got it wrong.
'I think you can argue that Clemson is one of the two best teams in the FBS entering the season (along with Penn State), and it's certainly one of the best 10, so it's surprising to see them in at No. 11,' said ESPN's Mark Schlabach. 'In our colleague Jordan Reid's initial 2026 NFL mock draft, he had four Tigers going in the first round, including quarterback Cade Klubnik at No. 1.'
Klubnik's rise has been meteoric. Once a question mark, he's now viewed as a potential No. 1 overall pick after throwing for 3,639 yards, 36 touchdowns, and just six interceptions last season. He'll lead an offense that ESPN still ranks as the eighth-best in the country — but somehow not good enough to crack the FPI's Top 10.
Defensively, Clemson is as loaded as it gets. Tackle Peter Woods and edge rusher T.J. Parker are projected top-10 picks, anchoring what many view as the most dominant defensive front in the nation. Yet, ESPN's FPI has the Tigers' defense rated just No. 15 nationally.
That's a head-scratcher, especially considering Clemson's relatively favorable schedule. While the Tigers open with a high-profile matchup against No. 12 LSU, the rest of the slate features only two other opponents in the Top 20 (No. 15 South Carolina and No. 20 SMU). Florida State, Louisville, North Carolina, and the rest of the ACC trail far behind.
Even ESPN's Paolo Uggetti questioned Miami's spot at No. 9, saying, 'I'm having a hard time with Miami all the way up at No. 9... Count me among the skeptics.'
Clemson still holds the seventh-best odds to make the College Football Playoff (47.3%) and win the national title (3.8%), according to the FPI — but that's a ceiling far below what many think the Tigers are capable of reaching.
So while the metrics may say No. 11, the eye test — and ESPN's own analysts — suggest Clemson should be firmly in the national title conversation.
Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.
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