Overview
- Clemson has fallen to 3-5 after losses to LSU, Georgia Tech, Syracuse, SMU, and a 46-45 defeat to Duke, leaving the Tigers far from their preseason No. 4 billing.
- Swinney argued the expanded format has devalued the regular season, calling 12 spots for 136 FBS teams “not feasible” and floating a possible 48-team playoff.
- Saturday’s visit from Florida State is framed as a hinge point, with a loss set to tie a program mark of seven straight home defeats to Power Conference opponents dating to 1907–1917, per insider Will Vandervort.
- Pate contends Swinney is not on a traditional hot seat given two national titles and deep institutional goodwill, plus a 10-year, $115 million deal running through 2031 with reports of a near $60 million buyout in 2025.
- National commentary points to defensive regression, staff turnover, and diminished offensive punch, with Pate saying Clemson’s decline will persist without fundamental changes.