There’s a lot of ring talk swirling around Clemson this offseason—and not the kind that comes from a training bell. National media is heating up the CFP hype around Dabo Swinney’s 2025 Tigers, a group stitched together with equal parts old warhorses and shiny new blood. With expectations rising like July heat in Death Valley, the vibe inside Clemson’s locker room is starting to hum. Swinney, now the elder statesman of the ACC, isn’t feeding into the national noise but rather doubling down on something far less flashy—something most programs don’t pay nearly enough attention to. And that’s what might just separate the Tigers from the rest of the pack.

Appearing on the ACC Network from the league’s spring meetings, Swinney gave a revealing look into the heart of his program’s offseason pulse. “Every year you start over, and it’s always fun for me. It never gets old,” he said, his tone firm with the kind of quiet confidence that comes from building two national title teams.

“I love that whole process of just getting ready and kind of figuring it out. I think chemistry and leadership are very underrated aspects to any organization, much less a football team.” It’s a message he’s preaching louder than ever this year. Swinney’s not talking about NIL valuations or five-star flexes—he’s talking locker room glue. “This team was definitely a team that from the moment we started back in January, you could just sense they were way ahead from a chemistry and leadership standpoint.”

Dabo Swinney believes this intangible edge didn’t just arrive—it’s been simmering since December. “You know, you have talent, you have injuries, you have a lot of things, but the chemistry and the leadership of this group’s really special,” he said. “We lost three starters. We lost RJ Mickens, Barrett Carter, Payton Page—three starters on defense. And then we lost Marcus Tate, a guard who was hurt a good bit. But he’s moved on to the NFL. Phil Mafah with the Cowboys and Beaux Collins with the Chiefs. So, most everybody’s back.” Now, the returning cast is experienced, proven, and, perhaps most importantly, hungry….

“It’s a team that won the league last year and got a chance to get back to the playoffs,” he continued. “They got a chance to kind of smell it. It’s like they got to go in the kitchen and smelled the chocolate chip cookies, smelled good, but they didn’t get to eat it.”

That metaphor tells you everything about Clemson’s mentality heading into 2025. This is a program that’s tasted glory but hasn’t sunk its teeth into it since Trevor Lawrence left town. Now it’s Cade Klubnik’s time. And the QB had already taken the nation by storm, throwing for a massive 3,639 yards and bringing home the ACC trophy last year.

Clemson’s last national title came in 2018, and while they’ve remained ACC royalty, the CFP door has stayed closed—until now. Swinney’s staff has infused midyear enrollees and veteran leadership to form a roster that looks ready for a deep playoff run. And when it comes to matchups that could make or break Clemson’s postseason aspirations, the calendar is no friend. “Clemson’s bookend games against SEC opponents—the Tigers open the year against LSU—are both very important,” said CBS’ David Cobb. “But the timing of its annual rivalry showdown against South Carolina means this regular season rivalry could have a considerable impact on the CFP race.”

The Tigers will know their ACC fate by the time they enter Williams-Brice Stadium, but that game might be the one the committee remembers most. A late-season win against what should be a ranked Gamecocks squad could be just the résumé boost Clemson needs to punch its ticket.

Dabo Swinney’s football team glorified

The hype train is rolling through Death Valley—and it’s picking up serious steam. Clemson football hasn’t felt this for a long time. Now, with 2025 on the horizon, national media is once again whispering that magical word: championship.

CBS Sports analyst Chip Patterson is labeling it an “overreaction” out of spring ball, but he’s not exactly slamming the brakes either. “Dabo is recharged for a run at his third ring,” Patterson said. “There hasn’t been this much certified hype around an upcoming Clemson football season since Trevor Lawrence was on campus.”

That renewed energy starts with QB1 Klubnik, whose late-season performance turned heads. But he’s far from the only star. Patterson points out that “this is a team that could see as many as a half-dozen players taken in the early rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft.”

Defensive linemen T.J. Parker and Peter Woods headline a ferocious front line—something that defined Clemson’s title-winning years. And don’t overlook the addition of new defensive coordinator Tom Allen. As Patterson puts it, “it’s easy to see why folks are fired up to see this team run down the hill in 2025.” Clemson has that championship feeling cooking, and 2025 could be the year they grab the whole jar of chocolate cookies. Enough sniffing…