Clemson has been dominant in the ACC for the past decade under Dabo Swinney, who won his eighth conference title as the Tigers’ head coach in 2022.

Swinney’s program has claimed the conference crown in seven of the last eight years, but entering the 2023 campaign, there is no shortage of hype surrounding Florida State. The Seminoles won 10 games a year ago, their first 10-win season since 2016, and many see Mike Norvell’s squad as the favorite in the ACC going into this fall.

So, does the conference still run through Clemson?

On ESPN’s College Football Live this week, analysts Eric Mac Lain and Tom Luginbill weighed in on that question.

Mac Lain, the former Clemson and All-ACC offensive lineman, says “there’s no doubt” that the ACC still runs through Swinney’s Tigers.

“When you look at this team and how proven they are, responding right now, it’s at an all-time high,” Mac Lain said. “When you look at what Dabo Swinney did this offseason, arguably the biggest shockwave sent through college football by going and hiring the OC that won the Broyles Award. When you see Garrett Riley, his offense, the things that he can do. And then of course, Cade Klubnik is now the quarterback.

“That’s been my biggest critique for Clemson these last couple of years is the quarterback play has not equaled the level that Clemson is used to seeing. That is back now. When you add that stout defense that is going to be electric in year two with Wes Goodwin, two of the best linebackers in the entire country, they’re going to be biting at the bit there to get back and to get rolling at a high level.”

Luginbill, the former college and Arena football star who spent a season as Georgia Tech’s starting quarterback in 1994, agreed with Mac Lain.

“It’s interesting because you get that question, ‘is it somebody else’s turn now?’ Listen, Clemson is the top dog until they’re not, right,” Luginbill said. “And you look at what’s taken place with them over the last couple of years. I totally agree with you at the quarterback spot. Let’s call it what it is. They had hit on three quarterbacks in a row – Tajh Boyd, Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence – and you know what, they finally missed on one. That happens, and it happens more often than you think. Now it looks like they’re back on track with Cade Klubnik.”

Luginbill added that he loves the new offensive approach with first-year Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley, and while Luginbill acknowledged that FSU is certainly improving, he has to see the Noles prove that they’re the best team in the ACC by beating Clemson – something they haven’t done since 2014.

“I think you’re going to see far more explosive plays. I think you’re going to see a better, fast pace,” Luginbill said of Clemson’s offense. “It’s going to help the run game, and I think it’s going to allow the quarterback to play free and just move the ball down the field, and the defense is absolutely loaded.

“Let’s not forget – this was a team that struggled at quarterback, but still won 11 games, 10 games. Everybody’s acting like the sky is falling. Now, has Florida State closed the gap a little bit, is Florida State getting better? Absolutely they are. But let’s see it happen on the field.”

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