Ranking Each Game On Clemson's Schedule From Easiest to Hardest

On Monday night, every ACC team found out where they would be playing over the 2026 season. The Clemson Tigers now know their schedule going into the beginning parts of spring ball.

It’s a schedule that certainly has good and bad within it, but Clemson could find itself in some trouble if it drops early games, similar to how things were last season. It will be a critical part to navigate during the early months.

But who is the easiest opponent on the schedule for the Tigers, and who is the hardest?

12. vs. Charleston Southern (Oct. 17)

Clemson is coming off of a bye playing this game, and the last time the two teams played, the Tigers routed Charleston Southern at home in a 66-17 victory. There’s a good chance that this could be a similar outcome at Memorial Stadium.

11. vs. Georgia Southern (Sept. 12)

The Tigers host a Sun Belt opponent to open their home schedule, and it should be a win. Georgia Southern finished 6-6 in the regular season and only had one opportunity against a Power Four opponent. In that game, the Eagles were routed 59-20 by USC.

Although Troy, a Sun Belt team, gave the Tigers fits in September, head coach Dabo Swinney will make sure that doesn’t happen again.

10. vs. North Carolina (Sept. 19)

Will second-year head coach Bill Belichick’s season be different than last year? The Tar Heels will have another completely new team, seeing 29 players leave the program to the transfer portal. It might be a bit early for this North Carolina team to gel in time, and Swinney should get the best of the Tar Heels once again.

9. vs. Georgia Tech (Nov. 14)

The Yellow Jackets will not have quarterback Haynes King or offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner next season, as well as losing key skill position players. They will have Michigan transfer Justice Haynes and Indiana transfer Alberto Mendoza, but the Tigers playing at home is always difficult.

There’s nobody that does more with less than head coach Brent Key, but by this time, Clemson will be playing its best football in November. This should be another expected win with everybody settled in the season.

8. At Duke (Nov. 21)

Despite being the reigning ACC champions, the Duke Blue Devils lost a lot of their offense, seeing standout quarterback Darian Mensah and Cooper Barkate most likely heading to Miami now. Duke will have one of the best defenses in the conference, but its ceiling on offense could be lower than expected.

By this time, similar to Georgia Tech, we’ve seen Swinney take down opponents that his teams should be beating. Will Wallace Wade Stadium have an impact this time? That could be another factor in this game.

7. At Syracuse (Nov. 6/7)

If this game is flexed to be that Friday game, it could create an interesting trap game. Fran Brown did have Swinney’s number last season when the Orange defeated Clemson inside Death Valley, but perhaps some revenge could be on the table.

Starting quarterback Steve Angeli will most likely be back, and he played well against the Tigers last season before tearing his Achilles tendon in the win. Especially if Clemson becomes in the hunt for an ACC Championship bid, this game would provide frisky upset potential that would pose as a strong win if the Tigers do so.

6. At Florida State (Oct. 31)

The last time Clemson was inside Doak Campbell Stadium in 2023, basically half of the stadium was off limits. Now, the Tigers return to face the ACC foe against a packed-out Florida State crowd on Halloween.

The game could provide some spooks and scares for Clemson, which will face a motivated Seminoles team that has brought in 23 transfers. Headlining those are Auburn transfer quarterback Ashton Daniels and Texas transfer running back Quintrevion Wisner. Wisner ran for over 100 yards and two touchdowns against the Tigers in the College Football Playoff in 2024.

5. vs. Virginia Tech (Oct. 24)

Clemson will be facing head coach James Franklin’s Hokies in his first season, meaning he will be bringing his best inside Memorial Stadium to pick up a statement win to begin his Virginia Tech tenure. He’s bringing in 27 transfers to the program to help aid his push.

With this game being in late October, not only will it serve as a potential title-eliminator for the ACC Championship, but Clemson will be playing a Virginia Tech team that will be coming together at a perfect time. The Tigers will also be seeing quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer again, who was the Penn State quarterback during the Pinstripe Bowl in December.

4. At California (Sept. 25)

This will be Clemson’s first West Coast trip to play an ACC opponent. First, the game is a Friday night, being a quick turnaround following North Carolina the previous weekend. Next, you are playing on a primetime Friday, while playing an underrated Golden Bears team.

Tosh Lupoi will be the head coach in his first season, coming from Oregon as a defensive coordinator. Sept. 25 will be his biggest test yet, and passing it at home will make a statement across the country. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele will return in his sophomore season after a standout freshman campaign.

3. vs. South Carolina (Nov. 28)

The Palmetto Bowl always brings the energy, and especially with Clemson having lost its previous two contests against its in-state rival at home, it will be one to get back.

That’s the chip on South Carolina’s shoulder as well, who return quarterback LaNorris Sellers, wide receiver Nyck Harbor and standout edge rusher Dylan Stewart. Shane Beamer reinforced through the portal and hired TCU offensive coordinator Kendall Briles. The Gamecocks will most likely be back and will set up an exciting in-state fight.

2. vs. Miami (Oct. 3)

A no-brainer at this spot, the runner-up to the national champion will be coming to Memorial Stadium, and it will set up a heavyweight fight.

The Hurricanes will also most likely have Mensah, pairing him up with Mark Fletcher Jr. and Malachi Toney. Miami looks like a team that is national championship-caliber once again, and if Clemson pulls out a home win, it would make a statement to the rest of the ACC, and the country.

1. At LSU (Sept. 5)

So many storylines in this game. Lane Kiffin’s debut, Sam Leavitt’s LSU debut and how will offensive coordinator Chad Morris look in his first game? It creates a lot of excitement, but a lot we currently don’t know. The Bayou Bengals will have home-field advantage and a standout transfer class, making this one the hardest game of the season right out of the gate.