CLEMSON — The 2025 season shall be Clemson football‘s finest likelihood to win a nationwide championship in years.
Coach Dabo Swinney‘s roster consists of expertise and expertise as each end-of-year starter with eligibility remaining in 2024 returned this season led by quarterback Cade Klubnik. He led Clemson to its eighth ACC championship in 10 years final season and again to the School Soccer Playoff after a three-year drought.
Clemson has been a preseason darling in 2025, ranking in the top 10 in both major polls and having quite a few gamers incomes accolades. The Tigers’ first check to dwell as much as these expectations shall be towards No. 9 LSU on Aug. 30 (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC) at Memorial Stadium. They produce other difficult video games towards ACC opponents and in-state rival South Carolina.
This is a prediction for Clemson’s 2025 schedule, game-by-game:
Concerning the sport: This shall be one of the crucial anticipated residence video games for Clemson in years as each groups have Heisman candidate quarterbacks and nationwide championship aspirations. LSU hasn’t gained a season-opening sport since 2019, and that development will proceed as Clemson wins in a prime-time thriller.
Prediction: Clemson 31, LSU 27
Concerning the sport: Clemson gained the nationwide championship in 2016, however Troy gave the Tigers a scare in Week 2, shedding 30-24. Historical past will not repeat itself this time.
Prediction: Clemson 52, Troy 13
Concerning the sport: This shall be Clemson’s first check towards a dual-threat quarterback, and the Tigers will face hassle guarding Georgia Tech’s Haynes King. The Yellow Jackets even have designated this sport as a whiteout for the primary time since 2021, and they’ll reward their followers with a ranked upset win.
Prediction: Georgia Tech 24, Clemson 21
Concerning the sport: Syracuse’s Fran Brown helped Clemson make the ACC championship sport final 12 months with an upset win towards Miami in Week 14. The Tigers will return the favor with a blowout win.
Prediction: Clemson 42, Syracuse 10
Concerning the sport: This would be the first on-field assembly between Swinney, who gained two nationwide championships, and UNC coach Invoice Belichick, a future NFL Corridor of Famer with six Tremendous Bowl wins. Clemson’s expertise will overwhelm the Tar Heels on this extremely anticipated sport.
Prediction: Clemson 31, UNC 17
Concerning the sport: Clemson’s “New England Patriots tour” will proceed because the Tigers will face Boston School and Invoice O’Brien, who coached underneath Belichick within the NFL. This sport could possibly be chilly, windy and/or moist, which might give the Eagles an opportunity, however Clemson’s protection will fortify keep away from a street upset.
Prediction: Clemson 24, Boston School 14
Concerning the sport: This shall be a rematch of final 12 months’s ACC championship game, wherein Clemson kicker Nolan Hauser made a walk-off 56-yard subject aim to ship the Tigers to the CFP. A walk-off play will not be mandatory this time.
Prediction: Clemson 34, SMU 21
Concerning the sport: Clemson will face the Blue Devils after an open date. The Tigers are 20-4-1 towards Duke at residence. Clemson suffered a house upset loss after an October open date final season however will not fall into the identical entice this time.
Prediction: Clemson 38, Duke 17
Concerning the sport: FSU went from ACC champion in 2023 to ending in final place final season. The Seminoles have retooled their roster, however that will not be sufficient to include Clemson’s explosive offense and dominate its stingy protection.
Prediction: Clemson 30, FSU 20
Concerning the sport: This shall be one of the crucial anticipated ACC video games this season when Clemson faces Louisville on a Friday. The Cardinals earned their first win against Clemson final 12 months, 33-21 at Memorial Stadium. The Tigers will get even this 12 months however in a intently contested battle.
Prediction: Clemson 31, Louisville 28
Concerning the sport: Clemson has gained 32 straight video games towards Furman, an in-state FCS program, which is its longest energetic and all-time profitable streak. The Tigers are 39-0 towards FCS opponents since Division I break up in 1978.
Prediction: Clemson 56, Furman 10
Concerning the sport: The Palmetto Bowl shall be in Columbia this 12 months, the place Clemson has gained the previous 5 occasions. Rivalry video games are unpredictable, and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers will make sufficient performs to elevate the Gamecocks to the win like he did final season at Memorial Stadium.
Prediction: South Carolina 20, Clemson 17
Clemson finishes 10-2 (7-1 ACC) to make the convention championship sport and be within the 12-team CFP.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville Information and the USA TODAY Community. E-mail him at dcarter@gannett.com and observe him on X, previously generally known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
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