Paul Finebaum tears into Clemson fans, calls them most annoying fan base

[ASFN Admin]

Paul Finebaum has made Clemson and Dabo Swinney one of his favorite offseason topics, and his latest comments included a new target: the Tigers’ fan base.

The ESPN and SEC Network personality has repeatedly questioned the direction of Clemson’s program over the past several months. During SEC Media Days, he was asked by Brooks Austin which fan base he finds the most annoying, and his answer was immediate.

“Overall? Clemson fans are just absurd,” Finebaum said. “Because they think they’re relevant. I get asked a couple times a year, what do you think about Dabo Swinney? And my answer’s the same, and they all start tweeting, ‘Oh man, Dabo Swinney living rent free in Paul Finebaum’s brain.’”

Finebaum then used the moment to take another swipe at Swinney himself.

“Now, Dabo Swinney is not living rent free in any – I mean, Shane Beamer is beating this guy.”

While Beamer has picked up two wins over Clemson since becoming South Carolina’s head coach, Swinney still owns a 3-2 record in the series, including a 28-14 win in Columbia last season. Clemson has also won two of the last three meetings against its in-state rival.

The latest comments are far from the first time Finebaum has criticized Swinney this offseason. Earlier this month, he argued that Swinney is under more pressure entering the 2026 season than Beamer because South Carolina has shown more recent momentum.

Finebaum also made headlines after Clemson’s appearance at ACC Kickoff, saying he was “exasperated” with Swinney for continuing to point to the program’s past accomplishments.

Clemson’s top moment against each 2026 opponent, Part 1: 4th-and-16 vs. LSU

Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images https://t.co/RBTnH3wRxipic.twitter.com/EBYlOcbHH3

— Clemson Wire (@Clemson_Wire) July 24, 2026

“I am getting just so exasperated listening to Dabo tell us how great he used to be,” Finebaum said on ESPN’s Get Up. “They’re not great anymore… Dabo is just stuck on stupid right now trying to convince that his program is still legitimate.”

Swinney has not ignored the criticism entirely. Earlier this offseason, he mentioned Finebaum by name while explaining why outside opinions have never influenced the way he runs Clemson’s program.

“It ain’t about what ESPN thinketh. It ain’t about what Paul Finebaum sayeth,” Swinney said. “It’s about what we see. It’s about how we think. That’s the only thing that ever matters.”

With Clemson opening the 2026 season on the road against LSU, Finebaum will undoubtedly have plenty more to say about the Tigers before kickoff. Whether Clemson proves him wrong on the field remains to be seen, but the back-and-forth between Finebaum, Swinney and Clemson fans continues to be one of college football’s most talked-about offseason storylines.

Paul Finebaum names:

- Most annoying fanbases
- SEC Champ
- Next fired SEC Coach pic.twitter.com/9YTg9WND7D

— Brooks Austin (@BrooksAustinBA) July 23, 2026

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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Paul Finebaum tears into Clemson fans, calls them most annoying fan base

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