Greg McElroy Names College Football Powerhouse Ranked ‘Way Too Low’ in AP Poll

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Rowan Fisher-Shotton | Last updated Aug 11, 2025 6:56 PM ET

Last season, Texas beat Clemson 38-24 in the first round of the College Football Playoff, powered by a 292-yard rushing day led by Jaydon Blue (146 yards and two touchdowns, including a 77-yarder) and Quintrevion Wisner (110 yards, two touchdowns).

Clemson rallied to within one score late before Texas’ goal-line stand and Blue's clinching burst sealed it.

Despite the loss, Cade Klubnik threw for 336 yards, three touchdowns and just one interception in a hostile environment and Clemson outscored Texas 14-10 in the second half before running out of time.

That's why when the AP Top 25 preseason poll arrived on Monday with Clemson at No. 4, behind Ohio State (No. 3), Penn State (No. 2) and Texas (No. 1), former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy pushed back immediately.

On his "Always College Football" podcast, McElroy argued Clemson at No. 4 "feels way too low," pointing to roster continuity at premium positions, a dominant conference run and what they showed in Austin.

"Clemson at four feels way to low. Especially with what's back off last year's team and the fact that on a quote 'down year' they went and gave Texas all they wanted in the first round of the College Football Playoff and won the ACC... I know it's four, I know it's still pretty good, but that feels a little bit too low for me," McElroy said.

This follows a similar trend with McElroy, who named Clemson his preseason No. 1 on August 7, citing Klubnik’s maturation, an upgraded wide receiver room and a disruptive defensive line as differentiators.

McElroy’s Case: Why No. 4 Undersells Clemson

The Tigers are coming off a 10-4 season, an ACC championship and a first-round College Football Playoff loss at Texas. They finished No. 14 in the final AP poll after posting a 7-1 conference mark and beating SMU 34-31 for the league title before falling 38-24 to the Longhorns.

Clemson started the year with a decisive opening loss to Georgia before a midseason run that included road wins at Florida State, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh.

From a results standpoint, Clemson won the ACC, took a championship-caliber Texas to the wire late and showed notable growth in the passing game.

Furthermore, Klubnik returns after a sharp year-to-year leap and Antonio Williams (75 receptions, 908 yards, 11 TDs in 2024) headlines a receiver group that still features breakout sophomores Bryant Wesco and T.J. Moore, a trio McElroy praised as "extremely explosive and extremely well-rounded."

Clemson also returns significant offensive line continuity, with five of their six linemen with 500+ snaps in 2024 and entering 2025 with a top-10 OL unit, per PFF.

Add all of this up and the Tigers' No. 4 ranking reads more like floor than ceiling, at least in McElroy's eyes.

Clemson opens its season at home against LSU on August 30, an immediate test that could change national perception, positively or negatively.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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