Subscribe
Follow Us
For a 14th consecutive season, Clemson football is ranked in the pre-season AP Top 25. Dabo Swinney's team comes into the 2025 campaign ranked fourth in the nation. This is their highest ranking since also being ranked fourth in the preseason poll in 2022. As Clemson looks to return to the playoffs for a second straight season, it is time to look at whether they can finish the season ranked higher than fourth in the AP Poll.
The Tigers come into 2025 with plenty of hope, and rightfully so. Clemson has been picked by some as a National Title contender, including Bruce Feldman of The Athletic. They come in as a heavy favorite to win the ACC, with odds at the time of writing, according to Fanduel, having them at +105. The second-highest favorite is Miami (FL), coming in at +400. An ACC title would all but assure a playoff berth for the Tigers, which would be necessary to climb in the final AP Top 25 Poll.
Dabo Swinney and his team open up the schedule on August 30 at home against LSU. They will also make visits to Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Louisville, and a ranked South Carolina this year. Further, the team hosts Syracuse, SMU, Duke, and Florida State. It is a difficult schedule, but one that the talent on this squad can manage.
Continuity reigns supreme
Clemson football is ranked as one of the top teams in the nation for a reason. They are first in the nation in returning production, returning 80 percent of their production from 2024. Further, they bring back 76 percent of the defensive production and 85 percent of their offensive production, according to Bill Connelly of ESPN.
On defense, the Tigers return eight starters. This includes T.J. Parker, the defensive end who led the team with 11 sacks in 2024. Further, he had 57 total tackles while also forcing six fumbles and recovering two. Joining him in returning to Death Valley is linebacker Wade Woodaz, who was tied for the team lead with 82 tackles. He also had three sacks, five pass breakups, an interception, and three forced fumbles.
Finally, the secondary should be strong with Avieon Terrell patrolling once again. He led the team with 12 pass breakups, while also having two picks, forcing three fumbles, and recovering two.
On offense, the team also returns eight starters. The offensive line brings back four starters from the unit last year, with the team only needing to fill the left guard spot. They will have a new group of running backs starting in the backfield, but the wide receivers return a ton of production. Antonio Wiliams, Bryant Wesco Jr., and T.J. Moore will all be catching passes again. They combined for 2,263 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2024. Further, they have a returning star quarterback to throw them the ball.
A Heisman hopeful at quarterback for Clemson football
Cade Klubnik enters his third full season as the starting quarterback of the Clemson Tigers. He saw massive growth from his first year to his second. He increased his passing yards by nearly 800, passing for 3,639 yards in 2024. The Texas native also passed for 36 touchdowns, an increase from 19 the prior year. While throwing 32 more passes, he threw for three fewer interceptions. Klubnik also saw increased productivity on the ground. He ran for 463 yards and found the endzone seven times.
The run game will be different, with Gideon Davidson, a highly touted freshman, expected to lead the backfield. Still, he has a strong offensive line with great continuity, and his three top receiving weapons are all still in the fold. With so much returning production around him, the quarterback is one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy, sitting just behind Arch Manning. Winning the Heisman should bode well for team success. Still, the winner of the award has not seen their team in the AP Top 4 at the end of the year since 2021.
The final ranking will depend on playoff success
The final AP Poll has consistently placed the final four teams in the top four, but there have been some exceptions. Last year was one of them, with Oregon finishing third. It was the first time since 2020 that a team outside of the final four in the playoffs was ranked in the final top four. In 2020, Texas A&M would finish fourth after jumping over Notre Dame. Regardless, finishing higher than fourth, where they are currently ranked, is going to need a playoff run, and it starts with making it to the playoffs.
The schedule is not easy. They are favored in their opening game with LSU. A win there will go a long way to making the playoffs. Further, they have a difficult trip to Georgia Tech, which was second in the conference in returning production. Currently, the Clemson football team is favored in the majority of their games, which should make a run to the ACC Title game, and if they win there, it will be a playoff berth. It could also mean a bye, and just one win needed to make the final four. That most likely secures a top-four spot in the final AP Top 25. With how much production returning, Swinney on the sideline, and Kulbnik under center, they will make that happen this year.
