Clemson's Dabo Swinney Left Off Joel Klatt's Top 10 College Football Coaches

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In his first-ever ranking of the top 10 college football head coaches, Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt did not include Clemson's Dabo Swinney, who has won two national championships with the Tigers in the last decade. Klatt cited Swinney's recent struggles, including a 7-6 season in 2025, as well as his initial resistance to NIL policies, as reasons for excluding the longtime Clemson coach from the list.

Why it matters

Swinney is one of the most accomplished active college football coaches, having led Clemson to nine ACC titles and two national championships. His exclusion from Klatt's top 10 ranking is notable and suggests that recent performance and adaptability to the changing landscape of college sports may be weighing more heavily than past success for some analysts.

The details

Klatt's top 10 list was dominated by coaches who have found success in the last 2-4 years, with recent national champions Curt Cignetti of Indiana and Ryan Day of Ohio State topping the rankings. Swinney, who has been Clemson's head coach since 2009, is coming off a 7-6 season in 2025 and has had a troubled history with NIL policies, initially resisting the idea of players being paid. Whether Swinney remains Clemson's head coach beyond 2026 may depend on his ability to adapt to the rapidly changing college football landscape.

• Dabo Swinney has been Clemson's head coach since 2009.
• Clemson won national championships in 2016 and 2018 under Swinney.
• Swinney is coming off a 7-6 season in 2025, his worst year as Clemson's head coach since 2010.
• Klatt released his top 10 college football coaches list in February 2026.

What they’re saying

What’s next

Swinney's future at Clemson likely depends on his ability to adapt to the changing landscape of college football, including navigating NIL policies, in the 2026 season.