The Clemson Tigers found themselves in a strange place last season: not on top. Their streak of six consecutive ACC championships and College Football Playoff berths came to an abrupt end in 2021. It was a foreign feeling to a team that became accustomed to winning.
Clemson's defense continued to perform at a high level, finishing as the second-best scoring defense at 15 points per game. However, the offense took a nosedive after losing Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne. The Tigers averaged 359.2 yards per game, down from 502.3 in 2020.
Now, Clemson tries to return to the CFP after missing it for the first time since 2014. The Tigers lost both coordinators, Tony Elliott and Brent Venables, during the offseason, but an injection of talent has them as favorites for the ACC crown. But what exactly will happen for Clemson football in their 2022 campaign?
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2022 Clemson Tigers Football Predictions
3. Cade Klubnik takes over the starting quarterback job
D.J. Uiagalelei entered the 2021 season with high expectations on his shoulders. The California native played well in 2020 while Lawrence missed time due to COVID. In his two starts, he threw for 781 yards and four touchdowns while completing almost 70% of his passes.
When the season started, Uiagalelei fell well short of his lofty expectations. He completed just 55.6% of his passes and finished the season with more interceptions than touchdowns. Head coach Dabo Swinney even benched him during a poor performance against Pittsburgh.
The Tigers landed Klubnik, the 2021 player of the year in Texas, in recruiting this offseason. The freshman won all 27 starts in his final two years of high school, and he threw 86 touchdowns to just seven interceptions. He also guided his team to three straight state championships.
Clemson's coaches say they're behind Uiagalelei, but Klubnik will eventually end up taking the starting job. The Tigers are good enough to compete for a national championship, and they need a quarterback who can take them there. While handing the reins to a true freshman may seem risky, it worked out well for the Tigers when they gave a freshman Lawrence the starting job in 2018.
2. Clemson will have a top five defense
Clemson's defense is consistently one of the best in the country, but the 2021 team took it to another level. The Tigers not only finished second in scoring defense, but also top 10 in both rushing and total yards allowed.
The Tigers lost some key players on defense, such as cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. However, the Tigers have more than enough talent to replace their production. Defensive lineman Bryan Bresee and Tyler Davis lead what could be an even better defense than last year.
1. Clemson wins the ACC and returns to the CFP
The Tigers' schedule isn't a cakewalk, but they should be able to get through undefeated or with one loss at most. Games against the likes of Wake Forest and Miami could prove tricky, but the Tigers will still win by multiple scores.
Clemson only has two games they could realistically falter. The home match against NC State on Oct. 1 will likely determine the ACC Atlantic champion. However, the Wolfpack needed double overtime to beat a worse Tigers team in Raleigh last season, so Clemson will get revenge.
The biggest game of the season is a prime-time matchup on the road against Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish defeated the Tigers in a double-overtime classic in South Bend in 2020, but Clemson got revenge in a blowout in the ACC Championship later in the year. The more talented team will win this game in the end, and that team is Clemson.
The Coastal Division lacks a team that matches Clemson's raw talent, so the Tigers will return to the top of the conference. A 13-0 record, or even a 12-1 record, with the conference championship will earn Clemson a return trip to the CFP. Dabo Swinney and the Clemson football program likely felt empty after missing the dance in 2021, and they're determined to make up for it in 2022.
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