By playing for the title a year ago and then winning one Monday night, it’s fair to say that Dabo Swinney now has Clemson on the same level as the nation’s elite programs.

To those working in and around college football, the school for years had been considered an underachiever based on its resources and internal and external support. But in adding its first national championship since 1981, it’s now in the same breath with any top-shelf team, including the one it defeated Monday: Alabama.

Are there other programs with similar earmarks in terms of support and strong recruiting bases? With the help from coaches and administrators, 247Sports breaks down the best choices for future success on the highest level.

1. GEORGIA

At times under Mark Richt, UGA was close to breaking through. Very close. Most notably, Bulldogs fans still wince when thinking about being five yards away from taking down Alabama in the 2012 SEC title game, knowing defeating Notre Dame in the BCS final was almost a certainty.

Chances kept getting away, and Richt’s time eventually wound down. But consider the audacity of firing someone who had averaged 10 wins for 15 seasons in the SEC. It speaks volumes about the perceived ceiling.

It still remains to be seen whether Kirby Smart, a former Bulldogs safety, is the man to take UGA to that height — but he’s already seen internal support increase, in the notable form of a new indoor facility, and he’s leveraging the in-state recruiting crop at an even higher rate than Richt did.

In the most recent 247Sports Team Recruiting Rankings, Georgia is holding strong at No. 3, behind only Alabama and Ohio State and Alabama. You start keeping that kind of company in February, you might start regularly doing it in December.

2. TEXAS A&M

A&M largely left the Big 12 to escape Texas’ shadow — but it instead ran into an even larger dark spot: Alabama and the SEC West.

Regardless of the opposition, it’s easy to see the reasons for A&M’s potential: Any school willing to put $450 million into a stadium and facilities overhaul tells you, visibly, how serious it is. The fact that a quarter of that was raised in a week is even more incredible.

College Station isn’t necessarily central to the state’s population, but it also isn’t far away from either of the state’s two super-hubs. Heck, with the way the Houston sprawl continues to creep in every direction, the 100 miles up Texas Highway 6 is feeling shorter and shorter. There are recruits in every direction, and the current staff has done a fine job of locating in-state talent.

Kevin Sumlin enters a make-or-break year with another new quarterback and without star defender Myles Garrett. This assessment isn’t attached to his status, however; this is a program that has the pieces in place to win big in the SEC. Like some others in the league, and especially the division, it probably needs Nick Saban to retire before that comes into view.

3. UCLA

Jim Mora has leveraged in-state — and in-city — recruiting to bring in ample talent. There’s no doubting that among coaches. But the program continues to sit in idle for a few reasons, including multiple seasons with key injuries, while crosstown rival USC seems to be getting its act together.

Coaches have wondered for a few years whether Mora can ever cash in on the school’s potential. Whether it’s with Mora or someone else — say, Chip Kelly? – there’s real potential for UCLA to have high-end success. That’s the case independent of what USC is doing, too; there’s plenty of California recruiting talent to go around.

Support has always been considered iffy in Westwood, but the $280 million Under Armour deal (including a reported $15 million sum up front) is a clear sign that the Bruins have clout enough, and money, to soon make noise.

4. MIAMI

Miami seems to be gradually understanding that it needs to spend more to win in this era. Hiring Richt was a positive step toward that, as is the plan to add a much-needed indoor complex and revamp the current football structure.

Those close to the program have spoken optimistically about the direction of the university’s administrators. Even the program’s biggest perceived downside, having to play at the Dolphins’ stadium 30-45 minutes from campus, is now less of a blight with the building’s renovation. AD Blake James said he believes fans will return in droves if the team can regularly compete for the ACC title.

With that blossoming internal support, The U has a very good chance to rejoin the upper tier — especially with Richt at the helm. His second act is already off to an overachieving start, and that’s before mixing in the staff’s recruiting influence in the region.

5. NEBRASKA

The lack of a built-in recruiting base makes this inclusion a bit of a reach, admittedly. A staff would have to be dynamic nationally to bring in talent to again push Nebraska toward the top of the sport. Coaches are unsure whether Mike Riley and this staff can do that, though Riley has long understood the need for a national recruiting emphasis, going back to Oregon State.

On the plus side for Nebraska, the brand still remains strong, the internal and external support is as solid as ever and it’s in the right division in the Big Ten. Wisconsin and Iowa are not easy outs, but you’d prefer to see them in your path instead of Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Penn State.