Expectations / Prediction For 2025

Jun 18, 2025, 3:03 PM

I have taken the opportunity to share my opinion on how I see this season playing out. I'll first begin with Clemson itself, and then I will roll into what I see happening with each opponent.

CLEMSON OFFENSE: Clemson returns a great deal of production from last season, and the offensive line has developed well under the tutelage of Matt Luke. CK has developed year over year to become a real threat at the QB position. Should he remain healthy, I see him as a Heisman finalist for sure. At RB, the biggest question mark is not if Clemson has good enough players at the position, but rather who will start. While Gideon Davidson is unproven, the feedback that players and coaches are providing would allude to the fact that it may be impossible to keep him off the field. So, I feel great about the RB position going into the season. I also feel as if the TE position will be a strong point on the offense that can and will be used often to create imbalance against opposing defenses.

CLEMSON DEFENSE: Clemson also returns a great deal of talent in the lineup for the entire defense. The question marks lie with the LB Corps depth. However, the Front 7 this season I believe will surprise many due to Tom Allen's coaching philosophy. The roster certainly does not lack any talent, but it was the employment of that talent for nearly 3 seasons that acted as the Achilles Heel for the football team. Wes Goodwin is a smart guy schematically whenever it comes to the X's and O's of football, but he just didn't enforce the execution of the intangibles that are required of a TOP 5 defense. What has been lacking on the defense is the violence at the point of attack and the linebacker leverage that Coach Venables demanded from his players during his tenure at Clemson. The front 7 under Goodwin would play soft coverage and allow opponents to gain yardage which otherwise should have been a loss of yardage on the play. If you're able to stuff the run and cause negative plays against the opponent's ground game, then you make them turn into a one-dimensional offense which allows for a bevy of blitz packages to disrupt the passing game. Clemson has the talent on the roster to create this condition, but only time will tell if Coach Allen had enough time to install his philosophy and undo the damage caused by Wes Goodwin.

CLEMSON SPECIAL TEAMS: This season, Clemson will need to build depth at the punting position. There's a lot of unproven talent at the punter position, but I have faith that Clemson will be able to pin opponent's deep with McCune. At place kicker, Hauser has been trustworthy, and I expect the same this season. Can Clemson continue to improve on kick-off coverage and on the return teams to gain favorable field position? Those questions still remain unanswered, but I feel more confident than in season's past considering the improvements made over the past two seasons in those two aspects of special teams.

On to the prediction:

08/30
LSU - LSU is loaded with talent that was bought from the portal. However, I like Clemson's odds with the homefield advantage and the fact that Coach Kelly is an overrated meatball who chokes often on the big stages. Clemson starts out finding their foundation and by mid-3rd quarter, I predict that Clemson will have a comfortable 2 score lead to win the game. Hopefully, fans show up and show out! BE LOUD!

09/06
Troy - This is a tune up game. Clemson by a whole bunch of points.

09/13
@Georgia Tech - Georgia Tech is a very dangerous team. While they're not circled on many coaches' calendar, I expect Brent Key to continue building off of the two previous seasons of relative success. They managed to take UGA down to the wire in several overtimes. This is definitely a trap game and Clemson should be ready to come out swinging early on in this game. Give GT any momentum in this game and it will be a long night for the Tigers in Bobby Dodd.

09/20
Syracuse -This is another team that is flying low under the radar. Clemson does have homefield advantage, but Fran Brown is building a strong program at Syracuse and is expected to achieve some success in what a very tough schedule will be this season. If Clemson treats this opponent like every other opponent with the intent to completely annihilate them and bring the "Best Standard", then Clemson should win this game. However, Clemson cannot afford to overlook this team at all.

10/04
@North Carolina - I do not believe for a second that UNC will have a great season simply because Bill Belichick is the head coach. This coaching hire was nothing more than a publicity stunt that will backfire on UNC, and I hope it does. I say this because they deserve a taste of karma for the way they treated Mack Brown at UNC.

10/11
@Boston College- Clemson should destroy BC at their own leisure during this game. Clemson should be hitting their stride by Game 6, and it should get ugly for BC from the first drive down to the last drive during this game. I see this game being over by half-time with 2nd and 3rd team players getting a lot of reps for the second half of this game.

10/18
SMU - If anyone holds the notion that SMU does not have revenge in their heart for the ACC Championship game last season, then they are highly mistaken. This is a revenge game for SMU and Clemson had better come to play. This game is at home for Clemson so, it should produce a check mark in the "WIN COLUMN". However, SMU will come to play, and Clemson will need to come in sharp and ready for a 4 Quarter game.

11/01
Duke- Riley Leonard made this team relevant. They're no longer a threat to a team of Clemson's caliber, but Clemson needs to come with the attitude that every opponent is nameless and faceless. Just another opponent that Clemson needs to beat. Duke needs to suffer for the embarrassment that they caused Clemson the last time these two teams met.

11/08
Florida State- Thank goodness their head coach is a walking meatball. While I believe FSU will show marked improvement, I do not believe that FSU is quite a contender for the ACC this season. Still not a team to be overlooked, but I see Clemson winning this game by more than two scores.

11/14
@Louisville - Louisville has made some serious strides in developing consistency in success. For the previous two seasons, Louisville has shown a pattern of gaining more strength as the season progresses. If Clemson has developed each week, then I see them winning a close game on the road. The health of the team will be an important factor because Clemson will need to dip into the depth chart for this game. Especially on Defense. Clemson had better bring their A-Game for this week's matchup or else it will be an embarrassment for the world to see. I see Louisville as a contender for the ACC this season and if Clemson comes out flat during this game, then it will be a long night for sure.

11/22
Furman $- The 2nd and 3rd team should play from 2nd quarter to the end of game and allow the starters to use the 1st quarter as a tune up session. Clemson backups by 5 touchdowns.

11/29
@South Carolina - As much as I hate to admit it, Coach Beamer has been able to put together some consistency at South Carolina with marked improvement year over year. This game doesn't need to be circled on Clemson's schedule, but Clemson definitely needs to be ready to be Clemson again now that they have a new Defensive Coordinator. If Tom Allen has been able to install his full coaching philosophy into this team, then there is no reason why Willy B shouldn't be empty by half time.

POST SEASON.... I fully expect Clemson to win the ACC again this season and have a deep run in the playoff. I also predict that either Oregon, Texas, Ohio State, or Georgia will play against Clemson in the National Championship Game. I do expect Clemson to at least play in the National Championship Game. I hope they win it all, but there is so much football to be played, and many tough opponents on the schedule.

GO TIGERS! BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF EVERYONE!

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Our country won't go on forever, if we stay soft as we are now. There won't be any America because some foreign soldiery will invade us and take our women and breed a hardier race.

~Chesty Puller
Lt.General United States Marine Corps

Good analogy! I think a couple of things to take in consideration, the schedule is tougher than most people are talking about, LSU to open , at GT , SMU rematch, FSU is back, at Louisville, and at USuC is a tough draw. The main thing to watch over the course of the season is injuries, if we don't have many injuries then a 11-1 or 12-0 regular season is obtainable. But injuries at key positions, could cost us the ACC Championship or we could go 9-3 in the regular season, which will be a disappointment!

Say a prayer 🙏 , let's have some fun and bring home a bunch of hardware (ACC Championship 🏆, Orange Bowl 🏆, Peach 🍑 Bowl🏆 , Fiesta Bowl 🏆, College Football 🏈 Playoff 🏆)
Go Tigers!!

Expectations / Prediction For 2025

Re: Expectations / Prediction For 2025

Agree with this. Biggest thing to me was getting a competent DC on board

9-3 to 10-2. Think the hype gets us and unfortunately,

Re: 9-3 to 10-2. Think the hype gets us and unfortunately,

Ooooh-raaaaah Chesty! Great job!

THE BIGGEST ADVANTAGE THAT CLEMSON HAS IN THE NATION

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