Clemson football experienced an uncharacteristic down year in 2022. After entering the season with national title expectations, the Tigers finished 11-3, going undefeated against ACC foes but losing each of its major non-conference matchups—including an ugly 31-14 defeat to Tennessee in the Orange Bowl.

Coach Dabo Swinney was no doubt disappointed as anyone by his team underachieving, missing out on the College Football Playoff for the second time in a row. As a new season dawns, however, Clemson's future Hall-of-Fame coach seems fed up with the notion that anything less than a CFP appearance counts as an abject failure for the Tigers.

“We've had 12 really really good years in a row…It's hard to get to the final four, 133 teams are trying to do it. If we don't go eight years in a row and that means we stink, I guess we stink,” Swinney said sarcastically at ACC media day, per Chapel Fowler of The State.

Clemson may not have to worry about outsized expectations in 2023 if quarterback Cade Klubnik builds on the impressive flashes he showed last season as a freshman.

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Taking over as starter for D.J. Uiagalelei in the Tigers' last two games, the former five-star high school prospect looked like a future star, showing off a strong, lively arm and dynamic mobility inside the pocket and as a scrambler. No one would be surprised if Klubnik emerged as one of the country's top quarterbacks during his sophomore campaign.

Regardless, Swinney and his staff could have a tough challenge ahead of them to get Clemson football back into the national title race. The Tigers are the 14th-ranked team in the country entering 2023, a substandard preseason ranking for a modern-day college football blue blood.

Should the Tigers disappoint again this season, missing out on the CFP for the third year running, it'll be interesting to see if Swinney is singing the same sarcastic tune at 2024 media day.