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ESPN analyst believes Clemson should be the No. 1 ranked team for the 2025 season

ESPN analyst believes Clemson should be the No. 1 ranked team for the 2025 season

USA Today26-01-2025

ESPN's Greg McElroy has sparked a conversation about Clemson's standing in college football heading into 2025, boldly suggesting that the Tigers should be considered the top team in the nation.
'Honestly, they should be No. 1,' McElroy said on his show, McElroy & Cubelic in the Morning. 'Most people won't put them there, but they probably should be.'
Despite winning the ACC Championship and earning a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, Clemson hasn't been widely viewed as the team to beat in early 2025 projections. However, McElroy sees things differently. He credits Clemson's resilience during their playoff matchup against Texas and the strong group of returning players as reasons why the Tigers deserve the top spot.
'Look at their production coming back,' he added. 'They played well against Texas, even after a rough start. This is a team that improved and finished strong.'
As for Ohio State, McElroy doesn't share the same optimism, despite their 2024 national title. He questioned whether the Buckeyes should open next season as the No. 1 team, noting the significant losses they've suffered.
'It's hard for me to put them there,' McElroy said. 'They had a special team this year, but I don't think that automatically means they should start next season at the top.'

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