Clemson will start the season near the top Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Clemson Lands Near Top of Preseason Coaches Poll

Originally posted on Clemson Tigers on SI
By Gunner Norene | Last updated Aug 4, 2025 1:26 PM ET

The Clemson Tigers have mustered a great amount of preseason excitement and national championship aspirations over the offseason, and coaches seem to agree.

USA Today launched its first official Preseason Coaches Poll ahead of 2025 on Monday, which ranked the Tigers at No. 6 in the nation.

The only teams sitting higher than Clemson are No. 1 Texas, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Penn State, No. 4 Georgia, and No. 5 Notre Dame.

The Tigers certainly have a manageable schedule, as they only face two teams listed – No. 9 LSU and No. 13 South Carolina – also making Clemson the only squad from the ACC to be included in the poll.

Although Clemson finds itself in the top 10, coaches are slightly lower on the Tigers than other media outlets and national college football experts.

On3 insider Brett McMurphy listed Clemson at No. 4 in his newly released Preseason College Football AP Poll, while Fox Sports’ analyst Joel Klatt also ranked the Tigers as the fourth-best team in his preseason top 25.

In comparison to 2024, the Tigers landed at No. 14 in last year’s inaugural US LBM Preseason Coaches Poll and finished tied with SMU for No. 11 in the final poll following their College Football Playoff first-round loss to Texas.

Looking at previous years, the poll tends to serve as somewhat of an accurate representation of the season – at least for Clemson.

The Tigers were ranked at No. 2 in the preseason coaches poll ahead of their 2016 National Championship run, while also being listed at No. 2 in the first preseason coaches poll to kick off their eventual third-ever national championship campaign in 2018.

Obviously, Swinney and company are aiming to finish at a higher mark than No. 6 this season, but the preseason Coaches Poll doesn’t exactly mean much, especially when a minute of college football hasn’t been played yet.

Nonetheless, the Tigers are seeking what could be a historic season in 2025. Considering their loaded roster with a plethora of NFL talent and a preseason Heisman Trophy candidate under center, Clemson should be a true contender to claim the program’s fourth national championship.