Top 25 in 25: Clemson Football Season Preview

Photo via tigernet.com

We’re counting down the final 25 days before the college football season by previewing every one of our preseason top 25 teams! With 4 days left until week zero, we continue our previews with my No. 4 team in the country – the Clemson Tigers.

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Projected Record: 11-1 (7-1)

Ceiling/Floor: 12-0/9-3

Projected Wins: LSU, Troy, Georgia Tech, Syracuse, North Carolina, Boston College, SMU, Duke, Florida State, Furman, South Carolina

Projected Losses: Louisville

Most Intriguing Game: LSU (Week 1)

Clemson has all the pieces needed to make a run at the national title this year, but can Dabo Swinney and the Tigers climb to the top of the college football world for the first time since 2018? The Tigers are coming off an ACC title and playoff appearance in 2024, and have the most returning production in America, thanks to the culture Swinney has built in the program.

In my opinion, the Tigers have the best returning quarterback in the country heading into the season in Cade Klubnik. Klubnik threw for nearly 4,000 yards with a 36 to 6 TD/INT ratio a season ago, and he may be even better this year with another offseason of development. Klubnik should have an elite group of wideouts to throw to as well, with the trio of TJ Moore, Bryant Wesco and Antonio Williams forming one of the best in the country. The Tigers should also have maybe the best offensive line in the ACC with four returning starters from a great one last year, but the running game will likely be a work in progress to start the season as the running back room has some question marks with Phil Mafah gone.

Despite winning the a conference championship, the defense was certainly not great at times in 2024, finishing 47th in the final SNAP Ratings. But Swinney hired Tom Allen from Penn State to take over coordinator duties on that side of the ball this season. Like basically everywhere on the roster, all three levels have great players returning from a year ago, but the most notable names include DL TJ Parker, LB Sammy Brown and CB Avieon Terrell. In theory, this defense should make a jump from last fall.

Despite its two tough non-conference games against SEC opponents and ACC championship rematch with SMU, I’m projecting Clemson’s one loss to be at a good Louisville team in week 12 who picked off the Tigers in Death Valley last season. But if the Tigers can somehow win a national championship in 2025, Dabo Swinney may have pulled off the biggest I-told-you-so in sports history.

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