Paul Finebaum Names College Football Powerhouse He's Unsure if He Takes Seriously

SEC Nation analyst Paul Finebaum looks on prior to the game. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

The Clemson Tigers have been considered one of the best programs in college football for about a decade.

The Tigers went on an incredible run from 2011-22, winning double-digit games in every season. They also had six straight College Football Playoff appearances from 2015-20.

During that time, Clemson won two national championships in 2016 and 2018, defeating the mighty Alabama Crimson Tide and its head coach, Nick Saban.

The program was at its highest level in the history of the school, and head coach Dabo Swinney was one of the best coaches in the sport.

However, what has happened since 2020 shows just how quickly perception can change about a team and a coach.

A Brief Playoff Return Didn't Reset Expectations

Since 2020, Clemson has had three double-digit winning seasons out of the five years. But context matters. The team has only had one College Football Playoff appearance during that time frame.

That came only because the Tigers beat the SMU Mustangs in the ACC Championship Game on a last-second field goal in 2024, earning an automatic bid to the new 12-team playoff.

Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney directs his team against the South Carolina Gamecocks. | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

Clemson wouldn't make the most of it, losing to the Texas Longhorns in the first round, 38-24. However, nationally, people looked at that as a positive. The team returned to the playoffs, and Swinney had righted the ship.

So much so that many thought Clemson would win the national championship last year after starting the season ranked No. 4 in the country.

Swinney Faces a Perception Problem

Last year was a disaster. The Tigers went 7-6, their worst season since 2010. This has changed the perception about Clemson and Swinney, with many wondering whether they are a thing of the past.

ESPN's Paul Finebaum has been one of the biggest critics of Swinney and the Tigers. He said on "The Paul Finebaum Show" that he's not sure if he can take them seriously this season.

"I still don't know whether to take Clemson seriously or not," Finebaum said.

LSU and Miami Set the Early Tone

Clemson will have immediate opportunities to reshape that narrative, starting with a high-profile road matchup against LSU and new head coach Lane Kiffin. A win there would instantly recalibrate national perception of the Tigers.

Later in the season, Clemson hosts Miami in a marquee October showdown against a Hurricanes team that reached the national championship the year prior.

Beyond those two games, the schedule is manageable, but the ceiling of the season may be defined almost entirely by how Clemson performs in its biggest spotlight moments.

Those matchups offer Swinney and Clemson a clear path to restoring credibility, but also leave little room for early missteps.