Morgan Thomas breaks down why Dabo still owns the strongest résumé in the conference, with two national championships, multiple College Football Playoff appearances, and a decade of Clemson dominance. But after a disappointing 7-6 season, the question is no longer ridiculous. Clemson’s recent struggles, offensive inconsistency, portal hesitation, NIL adaptation, and roster-building concerns have opened the door for challengers like Mario Cristobal and Miami.

This episode looks at the difference between career résumé and current momentum. Dabo has the hardware, but Cristobal has the recent buzz. Clemson now has to prove it can win big again in the modern era of college football.

00:00 Is Dabo still the ACC’s best coach?
05:12 Clemson’s climb back to dominance
08:23 Why the coach rankings debate is fair
11:48 Sponsor message
17:05 Clemson’s modern roster-building questions
20:49 Dabo’s recent performance under the microscope
23:49 Clemson’s offensive line and development concerns
24:49 What Clemson must prove in 2026

Everydayer Club
If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonclemson.supercast.com

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!

Odoo
Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon.

Rugiet
Get 15% off your treatment → https://rugiet.com/lockedonnhl
Rugiet. Performance medicine for men.

Indeed
Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast

FanDuel
Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. From the opening whistle to the final kick, Let There Be Goals on FanDuel. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started now.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.