Where Clemson ranks in The Athletic’s preseason ranking of all 134 FBS teams

With less than a week remaining until the start of the 2024 college football season (for six FBS teams, anyway), The Athletic’s Chris Vannini returned with his eighth annual ranking of all 134 FBS college football teams ($).

Dubbed The Athletic 134 , Vannini ranks Clemson at No. 16 entering the season — seven spots below defending ACC champion Florida State at No. 9 and one spot ahead of Miami at No. 17.

Vannini says of Clemson and the Hurricanes:

“I don’t like the trajectory at Clemson, which just has not been as good at quarterback, receiver and on the defensive line as it was when it was winning national championships, but this should still be a top-10 talent roster. Does Miami have enough talent to get past all those times it trips over itself? Adding quarterback Cam Ward and running back Damien Martinez are two big-time moves. Mario Cristobal isn’t on the hot seat, but you want to see real progress.”

Virginia Tech was the only other ACC team that placed inside Vannini’s Top 25. The Hokies were ranked No. 24, two spots ahead of NC State at No. 26. Among other ACC teams ranked in order in The Athletic 134 , SMU was next up at No. 28 with Louisville at No. 32.

Clemson welcomes NC State to Death Valley on Sept. 21 in the third game of the season. The Tigers travel to Blacksburg to face Virginia Tech on Nov. 9.

“Virginia Tech won six of its last nine games last year and seemed to finally turn the corner under Brent Pry. With basically everyone back, this feels like a step-forward year into something bigger,” Vannini said of the Hokies.

On NC State, Vannini offered:

“NC State is another program that deserves more respect, winning at least eight games in six of the last seven seasons (although never more than nine wins). With talented transfer quarterback Grayson McCall from Coastal Carolina, don’t turn your back on the Wolfpack.”

Ohio State topped The Athletic 134 ‘s Week 0 rankings, will be updated each week throughout the season. Georgia was No. 2 with Oregon at No. 3. Texas (No. 4) and Alabama (No. 5) rounded out the top five.

Clemson opens the season in less than two weeks against Georgia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta (noon ET, ABC). The Tigers are ranked No. 14 in both the preseason AP and US LBM Coaches Top 25 Polls . Georgia is ranked No. 1 in both polls .

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