Here we go again. The national media just cannot help themselves when it comes to doubting Dabo Swinney, and this offseason, they’ve taken it to a whole new level.
With the 2026 season on the horizon, CBS Sports dropped its annual top 25 Power Four head coaches list, and for the first time in more than a decade, Dabo Swinney isn’t in their top 10. That’s right—Clemson’s own legendary leader is suddenly on the outside looking in, according to the so-called experts
A group of 10 CBS Sports voters dropped Dabo all the way to No. 11—a jaw-dropping fall of eight spots from where he sat at No. 3 just last year.
The Panel's Case vs. A Legendary Resume
The so-called experts are pointing to last year’s 7-6 record—just the second time in 17 years Dabo hasn’t had Clemson in the national conversation—as their excuse. They’re also harping on his refusal to play the transfer portal game like everyone else, as if sticking to your principles is suddenly a bad thing
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“It seems the respect for Dabo’s past accomplishments has begun to wane among our panel," wrote CBS Sports' Tom Fornelli. "Swinney has won two national titles, so I don’t know how one of our voters can truly justify ranking him 28th (nobody else had him lower than 15th), but none of us can ignore recent results, either. Swinney has been slow or unwilling to adapt to the sport as it has evolved, and it’s having an adverse effect on Clemson’s performance on the field.”
One voter even had the nerve to put Dabo at 28th—pure nonsense. But let’s talk facts: Swinney’s resume is second to none among active coaches.
The Record: A career 187-53 mark, making him the winningest coach in ACC history.
Championship Pedigree: 9 ACC titles and 7 College Football Playoff appearances.
Elite Company: Alongside Georgia's Kirby Smart, Swinney is one of only two active head coaches with multiple national championships.
Furthermore, his four national title game appearances lead all active coaches.
The Shocking Rumor Mill Speculation
But the disrespect doesn’t stop there. The national media seems absolutely convinced that change is coming to Tigertown, and CBS Sports is leading the charge with some wild predictions about Dabo’s future.
The End of an Era: CBS Sports’ Cody Nagel explicitly predicted that "2026 will mark the end of the Swinney era" at Clemson.
Hot Seat & Carousel Buzz: CBS Sports placed Swinney on its list of 10 coaches "under the most pressure" in 2026, naming him a prime candidate to watch on the coaching carousel at the end of the year.
The 2030 Projection: Looking even further down the road, The Athletic projected the head coach for every Power Four program in 2030. For Clemson, they predicted current SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee will be wearing the headset, not Swinney.
An Opening Night Litmus Test in Baton Rouge
Dabo and the Tigers won’t have to wait long to silence the doubters. On September 5, Clemson heads to Baton Rouge for a prime-time showdown with LSU, and you can bet the whole country will be watching.
To make things even spicier, LSU will be rolling out new head coach Lane Kiffin, fresh off Brian Kelly’s exit. And get this—Kiffin jumped Dabo in the CBS rankings, landing at No. 9.
As for the very top of the rankings? Indiana's Curt Cignetti holds the undisputed No. 1 spot after leading the Hoosiers to a historic, first-ever national championship last season. Kirby Smart (Georgia), Ryan Day (Ohio State), Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame), and Dan Lanning (Oregon) round out the top five.
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