ESPN names Clemson a team that will show the most improvement in 2026

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Expectations were sky-high for Clemsonfootball heading into the 2025 season. After winning the ACC title the year before and reaching the College Football Playoff, the Tigers opened the year ranked No. 4 in the AP Poll and were widely projected to once again lead the conference while pushing for a national championship.

That storyline quickly faded. Clemson struggled throughout the season and finished 7-6, marking one of the most difficult years of Dabo Swinney’s tenure. The campaign closed with another setback when the Tigers were beaten by Penn State in the Pinstripe Bowl.

Despite the step backward, one ESPN analyst believes Clemson will look much more like its usual self in 2026.

During a recent ESPN roundtable discussing which teams could improve the most this season, reporter Heather Dinich pointed to Clemson as the program she expects to make the biggest jump.

“Clemson because … there’s just no way Dabo Swinney can lose six games again. Can he?” Dinich wrote. “Bringing back former Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris is interesting because he hasn’t called plays since 2020 and hasn’t coached at Clemson since 2014. He’s a proven playcaller, though, who helped the Tigers to a 41-11 record during his tenure. How first-year starting quarterback Christopher Vizzina fares is a valid question, but when searching for a team that will make a significant leap this fall, it’s hard to believe Clemson will continue to be irrelevant in the ACC race. With a road opener at LSU, the Tigers will find out early how far their climb back will be.”

Across the state, South Carolina was also mentioned by ESPN’s panel as a program worth keeping an eye on this fall. Jake Trotter labeled the Gamecocks a potential under-the-radar team that could become part of the national conversation later in the season.

“Last season was a disaster for the Gamecocks, who finished with only one SEC win,” Trotter wrote. “But two years ago, South Carolina was the hottest team in college football heading into December and nearly snuck into the playoff. The Gamecocks return two absolute stars in Sellers and Stewart. With better pass protection for Sellers — the Gamecocks are hopeful left tackle transfer Jacarrius Peak (NC State) will be ready to go after an offseason basketball injury — South Carolina could be a sleeper playoff contender come December.”

Clemson and South Carolina are scheduled to meet in their annual rivalry matchup on Nov. 28 at Memorial Stadium.

Before that, Clemson will face a major test right out of the gate. The Tigers begin the 2026 campaign on Sept. 5 with a road trip to Baton Rouge to face LSU and new head coach Lane Kiffin.

The ESPN group was also asked to predict which team that missed last year’s College Football Playoff could break through this season. Andrea Adelson nearly chose LSU before ultimately selecting BYU.

“I was tempted to say LSU because Lane Kiffin put together one of the best portal classes in the country, but then I remembered Brian Kelly put together one of the best portal classes in the country last year and that did not exactly work out,” Adelson wrote. “Still, I think LSU will be in the mix late.”

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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: ESPN on Clemson football expected to improve a lot in 2026

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