Is it how long until Clemson bounces back, or can they even do it?

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CBS Sports recently looked ahead to the 2026 college football season by highlighting some of the biggest questions across the country with Week 0 now 100 days away. One of those conversations centered on the ACC and Clemson.

The question CBS asked was simple: after Miami’s rise in the conference, how long will it take Clemson and Florida State to bounce back?

It’s a reasonable discussion considering how much the ACC has shifted in recent years. Clemson and Florida State dominated the league for more than a decade, combining to win 14 conference titles between 2011 and 2024. Now Miami enters the season as the program carrying the momentum.

Still, Clemson feels different in that conversation.

With the Tigers, it’s not really about whether they can climb back into the ACC championship or College Football Playoff picture. It feels more like a question of how quickly they can do it.

Even after last season’s 7-6 finish, Clemson is still viewed nationally as a program that’s one big season away from being right back in the mix. The Tigers may be coming off a year that fell short of expectations, but there’s still a clear belief nationally that Clemson has the talent and foundation to turn things around quickly.

That’s part of why Clemson’s season opener at LSU is already getting so much attention.

CBS listed the matchup among the best non-conference games of the upcoming season, and much of that has to do with the spotlight around LSU and Lane Kiffin entering Year 1 in Baton Rouge.

“There are now 138 head coaches and tens of thousands of individuals represented among the players, assistants and staffers at the FBS level of college football, but there is only one Lane Kiffin,” Patterson wrote.

Kiffin’s move to LSU has been one of the defining offseason stories in the sport, and Patterson noted the attention around him won’t slow down anytime soon.

“If you got worn out by non-stop Kiffin talk throughout his lengthy courting process, prepare yourself for even higher doses of Kiffin Mania when it comes to judging his debut season on the biggest stages at the end of the year,” Patterson wrote.

That only adds to the weight of Clemson opening the year in Baton Rouge.

For the Tigers, it’s more than just a headline matchup against an SEC opponent. It’s an early chance to make a statement on a national stage and potentially answer one of the biggest questions being asked about the program.

And if Clemson leaves LSU with a win, the conversation may shift quickly. Because when it comes to Clemson, the bigger question doesn’t feel like whether the Tigers can get back.

It’s how soon.

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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: How long until Clemson can return to former glory? CBS Sports chimes in

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