RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Dabo Swinney says Clemson is a 'bunch of nobodies' ahead of 2026 season originally appeared on The Sporting News .
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The Clemson Tigers are looking to bounce back after a 7-6 record in the 2025 season. Needless to say, this season is setting up to be one of the most difficult in Dabo Swinney's tenure.
Clemson came into last season ranked No. 4 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll. But a quick 17-10 loss to LSU flipped the table right off the bat. There hasn't been much national attention for Swinney's team, but he likes it that way.
During Tuesday's press conference, the longtime Tigers coach said they were a "bunch of nobodies” weeks before the start of the season.
"Everybody’s just working,” Swinney said. “We’re just a bunch of nobodies. We’ll see if anybody becomes somebody as we play some games.
Clemson won't be back to where they were eight years ago. However, a bounce back season will restore faith in the diehard Tigers fans. Swinney desperately needs to fix what's wrong while being up against a stacked ACC schedule. Also, beating Lane Kiffin in his LSU debut to start the season is the right way to get people talking.
Swinney set the tone at ACC Media Days in Charlotte. It was clearly an attempt to grasp the spotlight. "We got to fix the football stuff. You get what you earn. It’s not what people predict," Swinney said. “This year, ain’t none of y’all going to pick us."
Clemson starts the year with LSU on Saturday, Sept. 5 (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC). From there, the next four games are against Georgia Southern, UNC, Miami, along with a road contest at Cal.
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