Dabo Swinney has built Clemson into one of the most consistent programs in college football, but according to On3’slatest coaching rankings, that doesn’t seem to carry much weight.
In a list of the top 10 coaches heading into 2025, Swinney landed at No. 7, behind coaches like Kalen DeBoer—who didn’t even make the College Football Playoff last season. To say Clemson fans are scratching their heads would be an understatement.
Here’s what On3’s JD PicKell had to say about Swinney:
"Swinney had a bit of a resurgence this year even if Clemson’s season wasn’t up to his standard. The Tigers got into the ACC title game, won it, and returned to the playoff. They were competitive against Texas in the first round of the playoff on the road. But, they couldn’t advance. With one more year of Cade Klubnik at QB, perhaps Clemson can advance further and get into title contention.”
That’s a fair assessment on the surface, but let’s look at the bigger picture. Even during what critics call “down years” from 2020-2024, Clemson still finished in the top 10 twice, won three of the last five ACC Championships, and competed in the CFP twice. And let’s not forget, Swinney has built a 2025 roster that is shaping up to be one of the top five in the country.
Overall, his resume speaks for itself. He's one of only two active coaches with multiple national championships, with the only other being Kirby Smart.
Meanwhile, the six coaches ranked ahead of Swinney include Kirby Smart (Georgia) at No. 1, Ryan Day (Ohio State) at No. 2, and Steve Sarkisian (Texas) at No. 3. Then, Kalen DeBoer is ranked No. 4, followed by Dan Lanning (Oregon) at No. 5 and Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame) at No. 6.
Swinney has proven time and time again that Clemson belongs among college football’s elite.
Perhaps the game has passed him by, but it certainly wouldn't look that way if you saw the weapons in his arsenal for 2025.