The Tigers’ 14-year postseason winning streak came crashing down after they finished 7–6, their worst record since 2010. For much of the season’s aftermath, that decline felt like confirmation of a long-running narrative that Clemson refused to adapt to the transfer portal era and finally paid the price. No one embodied that criticism more consistently than ESPN’s Josh Pate. But something finally clicked during this cycle, and even Josh Pate can’t deny it.

“It is a new day at Clemson,” Pate said in the January 21 episode of Josh Pate’s College Football Show, before rattling off the details, “Yes, number 16 transfer portal class right now. What? Yes, it’s happening. It’s all happening.”

For a program that signed just six total transfers from 2018 through last offseason in the Swinney era, the sudden influx of 11 portal additions, with 10 on defense, represents a massive break from the past. Pate didn’t oversell it, calling it “still a baby step, but a huge step for Clemson and Dabo Swinney,” yet that alone marks a dramatic shift from years of portal-era frustration.

It’s a “baby step” because Clemson’s portal pivot hasn’t exactly been universally applauded. The Tigers are being called a “portal loser” nationally due to the portal imbalance. With five defensive linemen, four defensive backs, and LB Luke Ferrelli, Clemson focused primarily on defense while only adding one offensive player, SMU RB Chris Johnson Jr.

The criticism focused on two issues that Clemson failed to address with an offensive line that had a terrible 2025 season, with analyst Eric Mac Lain even claiming that it “was the worst performance from an offensive line I’ve ever seen…It was so bad… Worst at Clemson I’ve seen.”

Then the QB uncertainty followed after the departure of Cade Klubnik. Pate openly acknowledged the pressure with many analysts pushing change for years, admitting, “For those of us who have been hoping that they would lean just, oh, I don’t know, 10 or 20 degrees this way.”

However, now Pate seems to be rooting for Dabo Swinney. “Fingers crossed that these guys pan out because it could unlock a whole new world for Dabo and for Clemson,” he said, even framing the HC’s hesitant move into the portal era, “I almost like picture him hesitantly being dragged into this world. It doesn’t matter. If it works, it works, and he’ll get the credit for it. So, let’s just keep an eye.”

With DC Tom Allen now stocking the defense with handpicked portal players, even Clemson’s most persistent critic is now watching with hope.

Josh Pate had warned that Clemson is falling behind

For Josh Pate, Clemson’s 7–6 season was disappointing because of how it happened, and this wasn’t their rebuilding year. Clemson had continuity on offense, avoided the portal by design, and faced a favorable schedule. In Pate’s eyes, this was the purest version of the Swinney blueprint.

“Everything about this 2025 team is quintessentially Dabo Swinney,” Pate said. “He’s got his hand-picked offensive coordinator multiple years in the system now. His hand-picked, in-house-developed quarterback multiple years in the system with the same coordinator. They’ve got the No. 1 returning production roster in the country.”

When asked whether doubts about Dabo’s fit in modern college football were fair, Pate said, “No, you are not crazy for thinking this,” reminding fans that the expectations at Clemson exist because Swinney himself created them. Pate’s never questioned Swinney’s legacy it was about where Clemson is headed.

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And the record backs that up. Under Swinney, Clemson reached the highest level, winning two national championships in 2016 and 2018, capturing nine ACC titles, and dominating the conference with 10 ACC Atlantic Division championships. That run redefined expectations at Clemson, which is exactly why the recent slide has been so frustrating.

“You’ve seen what Clemson can be, because Dabo Swinney showed you,” Pate said. “And now you won’t accept anything less. And they’ve become less than what they were.”

That tension sharpened after Swinney’s postgame comments, where the Clemson coach doubled down on his philosophy and faith over wins alone.

“That’s very authentic. That’s [Dabo’s] worldview, for college football and life,” Pate said. But he also drew a hard line saying, “You don’t get paid 11 million dollars to graduate kids…You guys never hang banners in the stadium for graduation rates… But, I know 100% that you have [incentives] for winning a certain amount of games and winning championships.”

His major concern was Swinney’s rigidity. “There are other people who can lead with values and are also able to adapt,” Pate said, calling adaptability a critical value in a hyper-competitive sport. For a long time, he believed Swinney wouldn’t change. This is exactly why Clemson’s recent willingness to use the portal makes Pate’s current tone sound different.