ESPN’s Heather Dinich Defends Underrated College Football Program After Coaches Poll Drop originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The 2025 preseason Coaches Poll has already stirred debate across the college football landscape, and one ESPN analyst is not holding back. Heather Dinich appeared on Get Up this week and firmly pushed back on the way one storied program was being evaluated.
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Despite being ranked in the top 10, Dinich argued that the Clemson Tigers deserve significantly more attention and credit. With head coach Dabo Swinney entering his 17th season and a retooled roster led by quarterback Cade Klubnik, Dinich believes Clemson has the tools to reenter the College Football Playoff discussion in a major way.
Dinich didn’t mince words. “Clemson is underrated,” she said. “This is the year they have all the pieces in place to return to national relevance.”
Why Does Heather Dinich Believe Clemson Is Built For A Playoff Comeback?
She pointed to Klubnik, a rising senior and former five-star recruit in the class of 2022, who was recently projected as the No. 1 pick in a 2026 NFL mock draft by ESPN’s Jordan Reid.
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Klubnik enters the year coming off a College Football Playoff appearance and a deep group of receivers, paired with one of the most physical defensive lines in the country.
Dinich believes that the combination, plus Swinney’s track record, makes Clemson a legitimate national championship threat, even if they are starting the season behind the likes of Texas, Ohio State and Penn State in the rankings.
In her view, the narrative around Clemson has become stale, and the current poll position doesn’t reflect the Tigers’ ceiling.
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How Did Paul Finebaum React to Dinich’s Take?
Paul Finebaum, also part of the “Get Up” panel, responded to Dinich’s take with his usual blend of critique and dry humor. “Well, they are in the top 10,” he said. “So they are getting respect.” Still, he admitted that Dinich had a point.
Finebaum highlighted that Clemson’s recent results have made it harder for voters to buy in fully. Last season, the Tigers opened with a lopsided loss to Georgia, then dropped a high-profile home game to South Carolina before finishing the year with an underwhelming postseason performance with a first-round loss to Texas in the College Football Playoff.
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ESPN’s Heather Dinich argued the Clemson Tigers were underrated in the preseason coaches’ poll.© Adam Hagy-Imagn Images
That inconsistency, Finebaum argued, has clouded their reputation, despite the strong roster talent remaining. He conceded that Clemson has the pieces, but still has to prove it on the field this fall.
Two of Clemson’s best players are on the defensive line: EDGE T.J. Parker and DT Peter Woods. Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt even had them, along with Klubnik, in his top 10 players in college football.
Clemson enters the season in an unusual space. They are not overlooked, but not fully trusted. And according to Dinich, that might be the fuel they need, especially in a regular season opener at home against LSU on Aug. 30.
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Related: “Don’t Matter Anymore”: Paul Finebaum’s Blunt Verdict on College Football Tradition
Related: Aaron Murray Ready to Bet Big on Elite ACC QB for Heisman Run
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
