247Sports projects Clemson with top-10 defense in college football this season |
247Sports projected the top-10 defenses
in college football for this season and the Tigers are expected to be in that tier.
That projection has ACC rival Florida State at No. 5 and Clemson at No. 6. "If there's a trend on this list, it's that three of the Power Five conferences will feature intriguing competitions regarding which defense emerges as the league's best. Clemson is not far behind Florida State by any means," said 247Sports' Robbie Weinstein. "First Team All-ACC defensive lineman Tyler Davis returns, and five-star defensive lineman Peter Woods could make an impact as a true freshman. Clemson should be stout up the middle, but it could use some improvement on the back end after ranking 33rd nationally in yards per passing attempt allowed. "Considering the Tigers' recruiting history under coach Dabo Swinney, the bet here is that they'll take a step forward in that area." What does FSU, a common ACC championship pick, have to offer? "The return of quarterback Jordan Travis for 2023 might have grabbed headlines, but Florida State's defense is a big reason why experts view the Seminoles as contenders in the ACC," said Weinstein. "Star edge defender Jared Verse, a projected early-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, opted to return for another campaign after the Albany transfer impressed in his first season. "Four-star transfer edge defender Gilber Edmond will help complement Verse, as the former South Carolina Gamecock had a productive 2022 season in the SEC. FSU ranked 14th nationally last fall in yards per play allowed." The rest of the top-5 is made up of Georgia then Alabama, Michigan and Penn State. Clemson ranked 22nd in points allowed, 28th in yards allowed and 25th in ESPN's SP+ defensive efficiency rankings last season.
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