AP voters chose violence ahead of Clemson's second Battle for Death Valley with LSU

After starting last year ranked inside the top five, the Clemson Tigers find themselves outside the Top 25 completely. The Associated Press has spoken. Despite getting 112 votes, Clemson did not get enough love to crack the Preseason AP Top 25 Poll. The Tigers were the first team out among the others receiving votes. While they got 61 more than Florida, they trailed No. 25 Missouri by five, where it mattered.

As Clemson fans try to wrap their heads around not being ranked to start the season, they may have a bone to pick with a team firmly inside the Top 15. Although seeing teams like Houston, Iowa, and Louisville being ranked instead of them does not sit well, why are the LSU Tigers slotted in at No. 11? The Lane Kiffin intrigue is getting out of control. He takes over a team that was not good at all.

Clemson will open the 2026 season at LSU in part deux of the Battle for Death Valley. LSU won the first leg of the home-and-home at Clemson in what was Brian Kelly's final year in Baton Rouge. Like Clemson, last year's LSU team was a catastrophic disaster. The only difference is LSU decided to move on from its unpopular coach in favor of another one. Maybe it will work out, but we shall see.

For now, Clemson has to stew over the fact that unproven LSU is some 15 teams better than them in the eyes of the Associated Press. Thankfully, the AP voters do not decide the national champion. The College Football Playoff has crowned a champion annually since 2014. Clemson can still achieve all it can this fall, but it will start from a less advantageous place than it did in the Preseason Coaches Poll.

Lane Kiffin steals Dabo Swinney's shine ahead of the Battle for Death Valley

Not to say this was bound to happen, but this was always a possibility. LSU was going to start the season ranked higher than Clemson, mostly because new is always better. Coming in, LSU has been widely seen as a playoff contender out of the deep SEC. The Bayou Bengals being ranked inside the Top 15 was largely expected. However, Kiffin is still stealing Dabo Swinney's shine a bit coming in.

Clemson is also a playoff contender entering this season. Swinney's Tigers are widely seen as a top-four team in the ACC, along with favorite Miami and fellow contenders Louisville and SMU. To be frank, all four should have been ranked. The AP voters saw no problem putting the Cardinals and Mustangs into their Top 25, but not Clemson. Swinney needs to use this as motivation to defeat Kiffin in Week 1.

The shame in it all is that by not having Clemson ranked coming in, it not only takes away from Swinney's greatness as an all-time coach, but it also depreciates this highly anticipated rematch just a little bit. Had Clemson been ranked at No. 23 like the Tigers were in the Preseason Coaches Poll, we would not be talking about this snub to the degree we are now. ESPN cannot be loving these rankings either.

By not voting Clemson into the Top 25, the Associated Press has, in turn, provided Swinney and his team even more motivation coming in. They are being doubted across the board, but they should not be overlooked quite like this. Swinney has already accomplished so much in his Clemson career. What has Kiffin done other than burn every bridge out of town from every job he has ever had before?

Clemson has a chance to put all the Kiffin obsession to rest with a signature road victory in Week 1.

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