Staff Predictions For Clemson Football’s 2026 Season

The Clemson Tigers have been the mainstay of the ACC since head coach Dabo Swinney took over 18 years ago. However, that could be changing with how the 2026 season unfolds, both in and out of the conference.

Clemson’s schedule is no pushover, opening in Baton Rouge with top-15 opponent LSU while looking to avenge 2025 losses to Duke, Georgia Tech and Syracuse, which it will see throughout the season. Of course, trap games will also come up that will put the Tigers on the ropes, too.

Below is each staff member on staff, Drew Cagle, Angelo Feliberty and Griffin Barfield, and their predictions for how the Tigers will stack up at the end of the season, as well as the bowl they each see Clemson going to this winter.

Sept. 5 - at LSU

Drew Cagle: 23-10 L: Tom Allen’s new-look defense makes enough plays to hold LSU to field goals, but the Clemson offense has some Week 1 growing pains. Christopher Vizzina and Tait Reynolds both show flashes of potential, but LSU’s defense is too much to handle out of the gate.

Griffin Barfield: 27-17 L: A new quarterback, Lane Kiffin’s first game and the national eye is on two sets of Tigers. The noise and a tough Blake Baker defense will make it tough to be successful.

Angelo Feliberty: 34-24 L: Clemson keeps it closer than the vast majority thinks but the talent of Kiffin’s squad is just too overbearing, especially with the crowd they’ll be surrounded by in Tiger Stadium. Not to mention, this is the first time a handful of players on Clemson (offense and defense) will get meaningful snaps.

Sept. 12 - vs. Georgia Southern

Cagle: 41-10 W: The Tigers get back on track by taking down a Georgia Southern team featuring several Power Four transfers. Chad Morris’ offense flexes its muscle in the run game.

Barfield: 45-10 W: Just a “figure it out” game. Offense starts going, and defense makes some important turnovers.

Feliberty: 42-7 W: One of the easiest games of the season and the home opener for the Tigers — they just get it done. Defense has some minor slip-ups against veteran QB Max Johnson but plays solid overall.

Sept. 19 - vs. North Carolina

Cagle: 27-17 W: Bobby Petrino faces off against Tom Allen in a battle of great coordinators, but it’s the Tigers who win this one on offense. Chris Johnson Jr. makes plays on the ground and through the air for Clemson’s first ACC win of the season.

Barfield: 31-20 W: Home field helps, and I think North Carolina makes it competitive early, but a big day for the running backs puts this one out of reach late for the first conference win.

Feliberty: 34-13 W: As mentioned, home-field advantage should certainly help. The Tigers' defense does its job and shuts down a majority of the offense outside of tight end Jelani Thurman, who takes advantage of weak linebacker play.

Sept. 25 - at California

Cagle: 26-24 W: Despite the long travel and formidable Golden Bear passing game, Clemson emerges with an impressive road win on Friday night. The offense drives in field goal range, where Nolan Hauser sinks a kick to move Clemson to 3-1.

Barfield: 24-21 W: Arguably the biggest trap game of the year ends in a one-score game. Clemson stifles the noise and makes a turnover on Jaron-Keawe Sagapotulele late.

Feliberty: 27-24 L: I think this game simply comes down to the fact that it's an early week and the team has to travel over 2,000 miles across the country, ultimately affecting the Tigers' play in the game. They keep it close, but the talent of Sagapotulele becomes too much to handle, especially with the additions of transfer WRs Chase Hendricks (Ohio), Ian Strong (Rutgers) and Cooper Perry (Oregon).

Oct. 3 - vs. Miami

Cagle: 31-20 L: Darian Mensah and the high-flying Miami offense is too much for Clemson, even in a potential night game in Death Valley. The Hurricanes have struggled on the road as favorites in recent ACC play, but they bounce back to secure the win this time.

Barfield: 35-31 L: I can see this being the typical ACC trap game that Miami sees it stumble out of conference championship contention. But Darian Mensah has done it before here.

Feliberty: 42-20 L: I think the Tigers keep it close to begin the game but the Hurricanes get a few stops on defense and end up taking over the momentum on both sides. With Miami having offensive talents like Malachi Toney, Darian Mensah, Cooper Barkate, Mark Fletcher; it’s only so long until they start getting comfortable.

Oct. 17 - vs. Charleston Southern

Cagle: 66-7 W: The Tigers get to take a breath midseason at the bye week, then build confidence with a blowout over Charleston Southern. Clemson should be able to play many underclassmen should this game go according to plan.

Barfield: 63-10 W: A week off and back at home. Clemson irons out issues from the beginning of the season and takes care of business once again.

Feliberty: 59-3 W: Coming off a bye week into a home game against an FCS school is almost everything you could ask for. Pure domination is what should be expected.

Oct. 24 - vs. Virginia Tech

Cagle: 24-21 W: James Franklin hits the ground running with the Hokies in Year 1, but Clemson’s talent is too much in this matchup. Christopher Vizzina makes plays through the air against a talented Virginia Tech secondary, and Clemson wins a close one.

Barfield: 23-20 L: Knowing what happened in the Pinstripe Bowl, and having a lot of those Penn State transfers with the Hokies, worries me. Clemson has slipped up in recent memory, and I think it happens here.

Feliberty: 30-23 W: I think Dabo Swinney and the Tigers want their get-back from last season and take this one to the bank at home. While the offensive and defensive schemes have changed, there’s a lot of player overlap from who the team saw in December, including starting quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer. Clemson wants it badly, and while it stays close, they ultimately get it.

Oct. 31 - at Florida State

Cagle: 31-17 W: This game is hard to predict based on FSU head coach Mike Norvell’s well-known hot seat status. Regardless, Clemson’s defense should be able to outclass a Seminole offense that has several questions after their Week 0 win over New Mexico State.

Barfield: 27-20 W: I’m not impressed with Florida State, but being in Doak Campbell Stadium on Halloween night is scarier in itself. The Tigers get it done, though. My hot take is Mike Norvell won't be the opposing head coach during this game.

Feliberty: 34-17 W: After watching how the Seminoles performed against New Mexico State this past weekend, I’m not moved by them or head coach Mike Norvell at all. I think running back Ousmane Kromah could get going against Clemson’s poor interior defensive line, but the Tigers’ offense will keep the game out of reach.

Nov. 7 - at Syracuse

Cagle: 30-21 W: I project Syracuse as a hot-and-cold team through this season, with the passing game being paramount. Clemson makes clutch stops in the second half and gets revenge on Fran Brown for last year’s blowout home loss.

Barfield: 31-28 W: Another trap game that worries me. I expect Clemson to come into this game looking for revenge, especially if it is a one- or two-loss team in ACC play come November.

Feliberty: 30-17 W: Syracuse's outcome hinges on QB Steve Angeli's health and form. If he plays like his 2025 early-season, nation-leading passing self in 2025, the game stays close; otherwise, Syracuse likely struggles. The receiving corps also remains a major question mark.

Nov. 14 - vs. Georgia Tech

Cagle: 24-27 L: Brent Key’s team just has a knack for answering the bell against ranked ACC foes. Though some pundits expect the Yellow Jackets to regress after losing quarterback Haynes King, I believe they will remain an ACC contender. Georgia Tech’s ground game ekes out a late win over Clemson.

Barfield: 23-17 W: An old-school, run-heavy game at Memorial Stadium. Clemson is more successful on the goal line than it was in this game last year, and that’s the difference.

Feliberty: 28-20 W: The Tigers limit Alberto Mendoza through the air but struggle to contain his legs as well as running backs Justice Haynes and Malachi Hosley. However, they do enough offensively to scrape out a win.

Nov. 20 - at Duke

Cagle: 24-10 W: Manny Diaz’s team is improved on defense, but there are questions on offense after Darian Mensah’s departure. Clemson wins a field-position battle in Durham, with the defense forcing a turnover or two at the right time.

Barfield: 24-13 W: Another Friday night game that’s a scary one. Duke’s defense is legit under Manny Diaz, and I see a defensive chess match. I’ll trust the offense to get a late score.

Feliberty: 20-10 W: Barfield and I are on the same wavelength with this one. With it being a Friday night game in Durham, I think the Tigers come out slow offensively and struggle to maintain momentum. However, the defense holds up against a Walker Eget and Nate Sheppard-led offense, doing just enough to leave Wallace Wade with a win.

Nov. 28 - vs. South Carolina

Cagle: 31-19 W: It’s never easy to win in the Palmetto Bowl, but Clemson earns its first home win over the Gamecocks since 2018. LaNorris Sellers and South Carolina’s offense should be improved, but so is Clemson’s secondary. The Tigers hit their stride offensively to close out the regular season 9-3.

Barfield: 35-31 W: Clemson hasn’t won at home in the last two contests. That changes this season, but it won’t be without a nail-biting shootout.

Feliberty: 30-27 W: The Palmetto Series has been a back-and-forth affair in recent years, with each team tending to play better on the road. This year should be no exception in terms of closeness, but the outcome will shift. I think the Gamecocks make a costly offensive mistake in the clutch, giving the Tigers back the ball with just enough time to win the contest.

Final Record Predictions:

Cagle: 9-3, 6-2 ACC. Holiday Bowl vs. Oklahoma State

Barfield: 9-3, 6-2 ACC. Pop-Tarts Bowl vs. Houston

Feliberty: 9-3, 6-2 ACC. TaxSlayer Gator Bowl vs. Tennessee

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