Monday 08/20/2012
CLEMSON, SC – Clemson is ranked 14th in the preseason Associated Press College Football Poll. Earlier, Clemson was ranked 14th in the preseason USA Today Poll. These have been the two major college football polls for many years. The AP is conducted by sportswriters and broadcasters from around the nation, while the USA Today poll is conducted by the Football Coaches Association.
This is the first time Clemson has been ranked in the top 16 in the preseason by both polls since 2008 when the Tigers were ninth in both preseason polls. It is just the second time since 1992 that Clemson has ranked in the top 16 of both polls to open the season.
Clemson’s highest preseason rankings in history took place in 1988 when Clemson was fourth in both polls. Clemson was also fourth in the preseason poll by AP in 1984.
Clemson finished last season ranked 22nd by both AP and USA Today. Clemson has not finished in the final top 25 in consecutive seasons since the program had a six-year run of top 20 finishes from 1986-1991.
With Clemson’s inclusion in the preseason AP poll the program is now on a streak of 14 straight polls with at least a top 25 ranking. It is the longest streak for the program since a run of 21 straight AP polls in the top 25 from the preseason poll of 2000 through the September 9, 2001 poll.
December 8, 2024
