Clemson and Florida State are each coming off one of their worst ACC seasons in recent history, finishing 11th and 13th in the conference standings, respectively. It served as another stark reminder of the loosening stranglehold the two programs once held on the league. Clemson and Florida State combined for 10 straight ACC championships from 2011-20, with the Tigers winning seven of those titles. Although Dabo Swinney has led his program to two more ACC titles since then, Clemson’s presence in the national spotlight has clearly waned.
The Tigers have lost 12 games over the past three seasons — as many as they lost in the previous eight combined. Meanwhile, Florida State broke through with an undefeated regular season in 2023, but Mike Norvell enters 2026 on the hot seat after back-to-back disastrous campaigns: 2-10 in 2024 and 5-7 in 2025.
The big question now: Will either return to prominence in the near future — and if so, which one? CBS Sports national insiders discussed.
