Latest news with #CadeKlubnik
Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
ACC Football Betting Odds, Picks: Reigning Champ Clemson Heavily Favored
Oddsmakers see coach Mario Cristobal's Miami Hurricanes as the biggest threat to Clemson in the ACC in 2025. Oddsmakers see coach Mario Cristobal's Miami Hurricanes as the biggest threat to Clemson in the ACC in 2025. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Fans of ACC football will not be surprised to see how oddsmakers view this conference in 2025. A year after Florida State, Clemson and Miami all entered 2024 with legit conference title hopes (at least according to oddsmakers), the odds right now indicate that it will be Clemson and then everyone else this fall. 2025 ACC Championship Game Winner Odds DK FD bet365 Clemson +105 +110 +110 Miami +380 +400 +400 Louisville +850 +800 +800 SMU +850 +900 +800 Georgia Tech +1200 +1300 +1200 Duke +2500 +2600 +2500 Florida State +2800 +3100 +2800 Virginia Tech +3500 +4800 +4000 NC State +4500 +4100 +4000 Pittsburgh +4500 +4200 +4000 North Carolina +4000 +4500 +2800 The Tigers, who have won the ACC title in nine of the last 11 seasons, are just shorter than even-money at most sportsbooks. Most books list second-favorite Miami at 4-to-1, though DK is slightly more bullish on the Canes. Louisville and reigning ACC runner-up SMU have the next-best chances to upend Clemson. Neither, however, are seen as serious threats. The Mustangs' and Cardinals' 8-to-1 or longer odds translate to around an 11 percent chance of winning the conference. Clemson, Boise Biggest League Favorites In CFB It's worth noting that across all of college football, the only conference race that oddsmakers see as less intriguing than the ACC is the Mountain West, where Boise State is minus-money (-140 at DK, -145 at FanDuel). We're not breaking ground by pointing out that the SEC, Big Ten and Big 12 are much more balanced than the ACC. Still, the odds on the favorites in those conferences drive home just how shallow the ACC appears to be this year. While Clemson is +110 or shorter to win this league, SEC favorite Texas is +250 or longer across the board and reigning national champ Ohio State is a bit shorter than 2-to-1 to win the Big Ten. In the Big 12, the five "favorites" all have odds between 5-to-1 and 7-to-1. For more perspective on the perceived depth of the ACC in 2025, keep in mind that last year, five teams -- Florida State, Clemson, Miami, NC State and Lousville -- had 8-to-1 or shorter odds to win the league in late July. 2025 ACC Betting Preview: 4 Burning Questions Will Loaded Clemson Tigers Dominate ACC? Whether you're picking the ACC winner based on who has the most experience, the most proven star power or the fewest holes, it's difficult to land on an anyone other than Clemson. The Tigers have a handful of stars on both sides of the ball, including one of the Heisman favorites at QB. Signal-caller Cade Klubnik, WR Antonio Williams and OT Blake Miller could all be first-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. This year's Clemson D arguably boasts even more NFL talent: D-linemen Peter Woods and T.J. Parker are likely top-10 NFL Draft picks next spring, while linebackers Wade Woodaz and Sammy Brown were named to USA TODAY Sports Network's preseason All-ACC football team. In the secondary, CB Avieon Terrell is yet another potential future first-rounder after earning All-ACC second-team honors as a sophomore last fall. Though it will spoil the answers to the other "questions" in this piece, I'll go ahead and say that no, I don't see anyone other than Clemson -- which is among five teams in the country that are currently projected to be favored in every regular season game this year -- winning the ACC in 2025. Right now, Clemson is the rare example of a preseason conference favorite that is worth a wager at +110 or shorter. Can Miami Reach (Or Win) ACC Championship Game? Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal has had no problems on the recruiting front in Coral Gables. Per 247 Sports, he landed the No. 16 recruiting class in '22, followed by top-10 classes in both '23 (No. 7) and '24 (No. 4), as well as the No. 14 class in '25. Miami's average class rank over the last four years is just outside the top 10 in the nation at 10.25, and it's even better than Clemson's average rank of 14.5 over the same period. But Cristobal's first three teams at The U have gone 5-7 (3-5 ACC) in 2022, 7-6 (3-5 ACC) in 2023 and 10-3 (6-2 ACC) in 2024. With one of the top transfer QBs in the nation, Carson Beck, among a handful of future pros on this roster, Miami has the talent -- on paper, at least -- to push Clemson. The Canes were the highest-scoring team in the country a year ago, but they will be lacking in proven experience in 2025, especially at the skill positions. In addition to losing No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward under center, top running back Damien Martinez, second-team All-ACC tight end Elijah Arroyo and first-team All-ACC wide receiver Xavier Restrepo all have to be replaced. Beck will throwing to an entirely overhauled wide receiver group. None of Miami's top six pass-catchers from a year ago are back. This team does, however, have two quality running backs returning. Mark Fletcher Jr. averaged 5.4 yards per carry in 2024, while Jordan Lyle averaged 7.4 ypc, and the O-line led by projected first-round tackle Francis Mauigoa should be solid. Defensively, the Canes have room to improve after allowing 25.3 points per game last year. Miami lost LB Francisco Mauigoa and DE Tyler Baron to the 2025 NFL Draft, and 2024 first-team All-ACC DT Simeon Barrow Jr. and second-team all-conference safety Mishael Powell are battling for NFL roster spots right now. Schedule-wise, one wrinkle that is good for Clemson and Miami -- but bad for anyone hoping for a surprise ACC Championship Game matchup -- is that the Canes and Tigers will not face each other in the regular season. Could Louisville, SMU Or Anyone Else Make Noise? Remember, last year, it was SMU -- not Miami -- that ended up battling Clemson in a thrilling ACC title game. The Mustangs' outstanding debut season in this league was enough to give the ACC two teams in the 12-team College Football Playoff field. SMU should once again be high-scoring in its second season in this conference, as dynamic QB Kevin Jennings could push Klubnik for the honor of the conference's top QB. The Mustangs have a tough schedule and a lot of outgoing talent to replace, but they're as tempting as anyone besides Clemson (though that's not to say that I expect them to beat the Tigers in Death Valley on October 18). Like SMU and Miami, Louisville is projected to be explosive on offense. The Cardinals defense is a question mark, though. Louisville added a high-upside passer from the portal: former USC Trojan Miller Moss. Coach Jeff Brohm figures to have a solid offense in Year 3 of his tenure. The Cardinals averaged 30.7 points per game with Jack Plummer under center in 2023 and 36.5 ppg with another veteran transfer QB, Tyler Shough, in 2024. Still, there are too many questions on this roster for me to back Louisville right now, even though they handed Clemson its only conference loss of 2024. Oddsmakers see Georgia Tech and Duke as the next-biggest threats to Clemson and Miami. Either the Yellow Jackets or Blue Devils -- who went a combined 16-10 (10-6 ACC) a year ago -- could conceivably win enough games to reach the ACC Championship Game, especially if it doesn't all come together for Miami. That being said, neither Duke nor Georgia Tech quite strike me as a legit conference title contender this year. Will Mike Norvell's Seminoles Bounce Back? Obviously, it's hard to imagine 2023 conference champ FSU contending for an ACC title in 2025 after a catastrophic, 2-10 (1-7 ACC) 2024 campaign. But in a conference that looks wide-open after Clemson, the Noles could be a factor if former BC QB Thomas Castellanos and offensive coordinator Guz Malzahn can spark the offense. FSU went from one of the best offensive teams in the nation with Jordan Travis at QB in 2023 (34.6 points per game) to one of the worst in the country under QB D.J. Uiagalelei last year (15.4). This year's squad does feature several high-upside portal additions in WRs Duce Robinson and Squirrel White from USC and Tennessee, respectively, plus ex-Oklahoma RB Gavin Sawchuk. Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
Newsweek
a day ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Cade Klubnik Heisman Odds: Could Vet QB Be Clemson's First Heisman Winner?
Clemson's Cade Klubnik is among the most intriguing Heisman Trophy candidates given Clemson's favorable schedule in the ACC. Clemson's Cade Klubnik is among the most intriguing Heisman Trophy candidates given Clemson's favorable schedule in the ACC. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. What a difference a year makes. After entering the 2024 season as a question mark for Clemson -- and struggling in his team's ugly season-opening 34-3 loss to Georgia -- Tigers QB Cade Klubnik begins his senior year as one of the top three candidates to win the 2025 Heisman Trophy at every sportsbook. That begs the question: Can Cade Klubnik become the first Heisman Trophy winner in the history of three-time national champ Clemson?* For in-depth takes on Klubnik's competition for this award, check out our breakdowns of 2025 Heisman Trophy betting favorites Arch Manning and Garrett Nussmeier. *That's right, somehow, neither Deshaun Watson nor Trevor Lawrence won the Heisman Trophy. Cade Klubnik Heisman Odds (July 28) Below are Klubnik's current Heisman Trophy odds at DraftKings, FanDuel, bet365, Caesars, Fanatics and ESPN BET. Where he ranks in each sportsbook's pecking order is noted in parentheses. Oddsmakers have seen Manning, Nussmeier and Klubnik (in that order, for the most part) as the top Heisman favorites for several weeks, and that appears unlikely to change between now and Week 1. DK FD bet365 Caesars Fanatics ESPN BET Cade Klubnik +950 (3rd) +900 (t-2nd) +900 (3rd) +800 (3rd) +900 (t-2nd) +800 (2nd) Cade Klubnik Heisman Betting Analysis Below is a quick look at Klubnik's statistical output a year ago in 14 starts, including both the ACC Championship Game vs. SMU and Clemson's CFP first-round loss to Texas. As a runner, Klubnik added 463 yards and 7 touchdowns on 119 carries (3.9 yards per carry). It's hard to compare Klubnik's (or Nussmeier's) stats to Manning's from a year ago since the latter started only two games, but below is a side-by-side look at Klubnik vs. Nussmeier a year ago. Comparing Cade Klubnik, Garrett Nussmeier's 2024 Passing Stats Cade Klubnik 2024 Passing Stats Completions Attempts Comp. % Yards (YPA) TD INT Sacks Passer Rating 308 486 63.4 3,639 (7.5) 36 6 23 148.2 Garrett Nussmeier 2024 Passing Stats Completions Attempts Comp. % Yards (YPA) TD INT Sacks Passer Rating 337 525 64.2 4,052 (7.7) 29 12 16 142.7 While Nussmeier was slightly more accurate and narrowly edged Klubnik in YPA, Klubnik had a markedly better TD-to-interception ratio. And Klubnik's six interceptions in 486 attempts gave him one of the best interception rates in the country at just 1.2 percent, while Nussmeier's interception rate was a pedestrian 2.3 percent. While it's worth noting that Nussmeier faced nine top-50 defenses in 12 regular season games in 2024 (while Klubnik faced just four such defenses in the regular season), that's unlikely to change in 2025. If anything, the difference in the opposing schedules that LSU and Clemson will face makes Klubnik the better bet, IMO (assuming, of course, that playing the likes of Alabama, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Texas A&M prevents Nussmeier from putting up massive numbers). Cade Klubnik vs. Top-50 Defenses (per ESPN SP+) In 2024 Opp. (SP+ def. rank) Result (Score) Comp/Att (%) Yards (YPA) TD/Int Texas (2)* L (38-24) 26/43 (60.5) 336 (7.81) 3/1 Georgia (9) L (34-3) 18/29 (62.1) 142 (4.89) 0/1 South Carolina (13) L (17-14) 24/36 (66.7) 280 (7.77) 0/1 SMU (30)* W (34-31) 24/41 (58.5) 262 (6.39) 4/0 Virginia Tech (37) W (24-14) 16/34 (47.1) 211 (6.20) 3/1 Louisville (42) L (33-21) 33/56 (58.9) 228 (4.07) 1/0 Average/total 2 wins, 4 losses 141/239 (58.9) 243.1 ypg (6.1) 2.75 TD/1 int A year ago, Clemson took on four top-30 defenses, according to ESPN's SP+: Georgia (9) in the opener, SEC foe South Carolina (13) in the regular season finale, SMU in the ACC title game (30) and Texas (2) in the CFP. Of Clemson's 10 other opponents in 2024, only Virginia Tech (37) and Louisville (42) were top-50, according to SP+. So yes, Klubnik's 2024 numbers against a schedule that featured eight defenses that were SP+ No. 58 or worse should absolutely be should be taken with a grain of salt. At the same time, while Clemson went just 2-4 against the six SP+ top-50 defenses it faced in 2024, Klubnik's passing numbers in those games were solid, outside of a couple of rough outings vs. Georgia and Louisville. Klubnik Poised To Shred Soft ACC Schedule In 2025? In 2025, even if we assume Week 1 foe LSU and rival South Carolina will both field top-30 defenses (in the case of the former, we're being generous, but that's neither here nor there right now...), it's hard to imagine more than a few of Clemson's conference opponents fielding a top-30 D. Note: We're sticking with Bill Connelly's widely cited SP+ rankings here. Last year, 2025 Clemson foes SMU (30), Duke (31) and Louisville (42) were all respectable defensively. Clemson's other five ACC opponents this year -- BC, FSU, UNC, Georgia Tech and Syracuse -- were all outside of the top 50, though. Each of those five teams also finished below 60th nationally in points allowed per game (25.8 or worse). Obviously, each team's defensive level can vary tremendously from year to year. At the very least, though, more than half of Clemson's conference opponents are projected to be overmatched against the veteran Tigers offense. Speaking of which, in addition to having a senior with 1,000-plus career pass attempts under center, this loaded unit in Year 3 under OC Garrett Riley will also feature three proven receivers in Antonio Williams, Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore. Clemson enters 2025 with the No. 3 ranked receiving corps, per PFF College. It will also have the No. 10 O-line in the country (also according to PFF College). Experience is everything up front, and Clemson's least experienced O-lineman entering 2025, left guard Harris Sewell, has gotten 982 reps over the last seasons. Buy Or Sell: Klubnik To Win Heisman Trophy Best available odds: +950 (DraftKings) as of July 28 Between his strong supporting cast and what should be a manageable schedule in the ACC (to put it nicely), Klubnik has an excellent chance to improve on his 43-touchdown, 6-interception campaign a year ago. Following Caleb Williams' Heisman-winning season for 11-3 USC in 2022, Jayden Daniels winning the award for 10-3 LSU in 2023 and Travis Hunter winning it on a 9-4 Colorado team last year, it's clear that a 10-win season by his team is more than enough for a player to contend for the Heisman. With that in mind, as long as the Tigers once again take care of business in the ACC, Klubnik has a real chance of at least being invited to New York for the Heisman ceremony. Given that Clemson -- which is currently one of eight teams listed at 14-to-1 or shorter at FanDuel to win the national championship, FWIW -- the floor for Klubnik and the Tigers is high enough to make him a great Heisman bet right now. Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Can Clemson reach CFP title game? Joel Klatt makes bold prediction on Tigers 2025 season
Fox Sports lead analyst Joel Klatt is another prominent college football voice who's high on the Clemson Tigers entering the 2025 season. Klatt, who had Clemson at No. 5 in his post-spring top 25 rankings in May and named Cade Klubnik the top quarterback in the nation entering 2025, offered fresh praise for the Tigers and coach Dabo Swinney on Monday. In a "College Football Stock Watch" segment on his popular video podcast, "The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football Podcast," Klatt called Clemson the No. 1 team he was buying stock in heading into the new season. Klatt explained why he's so high on the Tigers with only six Saturdays remaining until the season begins. 'Clemson is just really, really good,' Klatt says of Tigers "Clemson is just really, really good. I think they're going to have an outstanding year," Klatt reiterated Monday. "They finished with 10 (wins) last year, snuck into the playoffs. They beat SMU in that championship game, gave Texas everything they could handle. Dabo seems to have, like, this confidence back." "They bring back 16 starters from last year's group," Klatt continued. "Klubnik is back. Third season as a starter, third season with his offensive coordinator, Garrett Riley. Four returning starters on the offensive line. They're going to be seniors. I think the real question is running back. Gideon Davidson is a guy that's a top five running back. He will be a true freshman. I think he could have an impact for them." Klatt shifted to the Tigers' defense and highlighted first-year defensive coordinator Tom Allen. "Defense: loaded. Going to be one of the best defenses in the entire country," Klatt said. "New defensive coordinator, Tom Allen, he's in at DC after coming in from Penn State. They've got T.J. Parker, they've got Peter Woods, they've got Avieon Terrell at corner, Sammy Brown (at linebacker)." Klatt believes 'loaded' Clemson could reach CFP title game Klatt said that he was "toying" with the idea of naming Clemson a preseason pick to reach the national championship game in Miami. "This is a team that will, for sure, be in the playoff and I think could make a deep run. I'll be pretty surprised if this is not a team in the (CFP) semifinals. And you know what? I'm toying around with, in my bracket, putting them as a team playing for the national championship. We'll just see who they play. I think Clemson is going to be incredible and again, trending upward from last season." Klatt shares the belief held by many that the Tigers' schedule sets up nicely and that their toughest games come at the beginning and end of the regular season. "This team is going to be loaded, and it's not a very difficult schedule. You could make a strong argument that their two most difficult games are non-conference games. They're going to have LSU in the opener, and they're going to have South Carolina (Nov. 29). I think both of those are tougher than any game they have on the rest of their schedule. "In the ACC, they don't play Miami. They get SMU at home. They have road games at Georgia Tech and Louisville, so I think the toughest games are ... LSU, that's at home, Georgia Tech that's on the road, SMU at home, at Louisville, and then at South Carolina. Klatt names North Carolina, Bill Belichick as 2025 college football 'buy' Klatt's segment, featuring five teams he was buying and five he was selling for 2025, included the North Carolina Tar Heels, who Clemson will visit on Oct. 4 in Chapel Hill. While he admits to waffling a bit on UNC, Klatt said there were two reasons he ultimately decided to buy in on the Tar Heels and first-year coach Bill Belichick: "trust and schedule." "My (final) buy is North Carolina because I trust their coach, and they play a really favorable schedule," Klatt said before adding, "This team has a lot of transfers and it's really difficult to project what this roster is going to do. So again, this is more of a bet on Bill Belichick. "I don't think Bill Belichick cares what all the noise is this offseason. I really don't... I think he cares about getting this roster, the team, the players, to believe that they can go out there and just do their job. If you do that, in that conference against that schedule, I don't think anyone is running away from them. So there's a good chance that this is a team that's going to be in a lot of games that they play." Klatt praised UNC transfer quarterback Gio Lopez from South Alabama. "Bill, along with guys like Nick Saban, will talk a lot about the fact that more games are lost in college football than won," Klatt said. "So it's not that you've got to go out there and be better than everybody. It's just that you've got to go out there and not beat yourself. You've got to be better than you. He understands that and in a lot of ways, that was The Patriot Way: don't make mistakes, be methodical. "That's my reason for optimism, I think he can convince this roster to do that and if he does, they will be in and probably win a lot more games than you anticipate this next season." Clemson football schedule 2025 Clemson opens the 2025 season against the LSU Tigers at Memorial Stadium in prime time on Aug. 30. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on ABC. All times Eastern. Aug. 30: vs. LSU (7:30 p.m., ABC) Sept. 6: vs. Troy (3:30 p.m., ACC Network) Sept. 13: at Georgia Tech (12 p.m. ET, ABC or ESPN) Sept. 20: vs. Syracuse Oct. 4: at North Carolina Oct. 11: at Boston College Oct. 18: vs. SMU Nov. 1: vs. Duke Nov. 8: vs. Florida State Nov. 14: at Louisville (8 p.m., ESPN) Nov. 22: vs. Furman Nov. 29: at South Carolina (12 p.m. ET, ABC or ESPN) Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions. This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson football, Dabo Swinney could reach CFP title game, Klatt says
Fox Sports
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
College Football Stock Watch: Teams Joel Klatt Is Buying, Selling Stock in for 2025
College Football College Football Stock Watch: Teams Joel Klatt Is Buying, Selling Stock in for 2025 Published Jul. 22, 2025 12:09 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link August is right around the corner, which means college football is very close to being back. With the 2025 season inching closer, I'm entering preview mode. In my first of many previews for the upcoming season, I want to share which teams I'm buying and selling stock in. I want to emphasize that this exercise is only focused on this season. Some of these teams I might feel good about in the long run, but they might take a step back in 2025. The way I've put this list together is that the teams higher up are the ones I'm either buying or selling the most stock in, while it's the opposite for the teams at the bottom. Let's get to it. Clemson: Buy Clemson is just really, really good, and I think the Tigers are going to have an outstanding year. They had 10 wins in 2024, sneaking into the College Football Playoff after beating SMU in the ACC Championship Game. Clemson really gave Texas all it could handle in the CFP. Dabo Swinney seems to have his confidence back. Quarterback Cade Klubnik is one of 16 returning starters, and he's in his third year of working with offensive coordinator Garrett Riley. The real question for Clemson is at running back. Gideon Davidson has a chance to make a real impact as a top-five back in the 2025 recruiting class. ADVERTISEMENT The Tigers' defense is loaded and should be one of the best in the country. New defensive coordinator Tom Allen just had a strong year at Penn State. T.J. Parker and Peter Woods are among the top defensive linemen in the country. Cade Klubnik returned to Clemson after helping the Tigers reach the CFP in 2024. (Photo by) Clemson also doesn't have a difficult schedule. Its games against LSU and South Carolina are its toughest games on the schedule, as it avoids Miami (Fla.) in the conference slate. This is a team that will be in the CFP, and I wouldn't be surprised if it plays in the national championship. Tennessee: Sell Tennessee's averaged over 10 wins over the past three seasons, but I can see it taking a step back in 2025. I don't love the quarterback situation. Losing a QB that late in the spring isn't great, no matter how you slice it. It had to get Joey Aguilar, who UCLA initially brought in from Appalachian State this offseason before getting Nico Iamaleava. Josh Heupel's system also puts a lot of pressure on the quarterback due to the wide receiver choice routes and constant downfield throwing. Can Aguilar handle that? He led the nation in interceptions last year (14), which is a problem. Tennessee also must replace SEC Offensive Player of the Year Dylan Sampson and four starters along the offensive line. Plus, its wide receiver group is young. The defense should be fine, at least, and its schedule is reasonable by SEC standards. I'm projecting a September loss against Georgia. I think Tennessee will be 5-1 going into its October matchup against Alabama, but Tennessee's schedule gets tougher from that point on. I believe in Tennessee in the long term, but this season might be difficult. Michigan: Buy Think about the way Michigan ended its season — becoming one of the rare teams to feel good about winning a bowl game today. Michigan, easily, had the best final month of the season of any team in the country, getting wins over Ohio State and Alabama. Its defense was outstanding as well, holding the best scoring defense in the country over its final four games. Something happened with defensive coordinator Wink Martindale as his first season at Michigan progressed. If the Wolverines can get any offensive contribution from Bryce Underwood or whoever at quarterback, this team should be drastically better. Remember, this was an eight-win team with an offense that couldn't throw the ball at all. In fact, the only teams it was better than at passing were the academies. That's a problem. Bryce Underwood could be Michigan's answer at quarterback this season and the foreseeable future. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images) Michigan is still going to want to run the ball. Jordan Marshall's a guy they really like in Ann Arbor, and the Wolverines brought in Justice Haynes from Alabama. I have questions about the offensive line, though, but the defense should be excellent again, and it might have a top-two defense in the country alongside Clemson. In terms of its schedule, Michigan doesn't have to play Penn State, Oregon, Illinois, Indiana or Iowa. If it wins at Oklahoma in Week 2, nothing looks daunting for Michigan. I think this is a bounce-back year for Michigan. Wisconsin: Sell Wisconsin lost its last five games last season, going 5-7. That snapped a streak of 22 consecutive winning seasons. It has tried to change its identity under head coach Luke Fickell, which is dangerous considering the success it had for over two decades. Fickell is an outstanding coach, and I'm hoping this works out for him. Wisconsin might be a better team from a roster standpoint this season than it was last year. I'm just not sure that it shows up in the results. This is one of the most difficult schedules in the country. It has games at Alabama, Michigan, Oregon and Indiana, while also hosting Ohio State and Illinois. It could be underdogs in nine of its 12 games this season. You can say that the transfer additions and coaching changes will make Wisconsin better this season. That might be true, but you still have to be better than the teams on your schedule — and that schedule is really brutal. You can't make those changes and expect you're going to develop your way out of it with that schedule. Utah: Buy Last year was a rare losing season for Kyle Whittingham. Utah's 2024 campaign got absolutely wrecked by injuries, finishing 5-7. It also went 1-5 in one-score games. I've got to believe that's going to turn around. Jason Beck was hired as offensive coordinator after holding the same role at New Mexico, bringing his quarterback, Devon Dampier, with him. From all the reports I've heard, Dampier can really run (he rushed for over 1,100 yards last year), but he does need to improve his passing. That isn't a new thing for Utah, though, and it has found success in the past without a dynamic passing game. When you have a running quarterback, you need a strong offensive line. Luckily for Utah, it is returning all five of its starting offensive linemen from last year. That includes offensive tackle Spencer Fano, who could be a top-10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Utah's defense is always fine as well. It was a top-25 defense last season despite everything that happened, and Morgan Scalley is one of the top defensive coordinators in the country. When you lay all of this out, Utah should be an eight-win, nine-win or even 10-win team. It wouldn't surprise me if it competes for a Big 12 title. Syracuse: Sell The Orange had a great year in 2024, with everything seemingly falling into place. Kyle McCord and Co. was terrific, holding the No. 1 passing attack in the country. Syracuse had that huge win over Miami at the end of the regular season, helping it get to 10 wins. Now, Syracuse is tasked with replacing McCord and all those players. On top of that, it has to deal with a more difficult schedule this year than it faced last year. Fran Brown has done a great job with roster building as head coach, but it's hard to find that path for him and the Orange to replicate last season's success. He has got to replace a total of 15 starters — at quarterback, running back (I thought LeQuint Allen was one of the most underrated backs in the country), wide receivers and tight end. Fran Brown had a strong first season at Syracuse thanks to quarterback Kyle McCord, winning the Holiday Bowl. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) As for the schedule, all six of Syracuse's games away from home are tough. It has games at Tennessee (in Atlanta), Clemson, SMU, Georgia Tech, Miami and Notre Dame. For those reasons, I think Syracuse is an easy sell for this season. Washington: Buy This is one that might be a bit under the radar, but I love Jedd Fisch's track record. He basically had to replace the entirety of Washington's roster last year after going 6-7 and losing the national championship in the season prior. Washington should pop this year. I'm not sure if enough people are paying attention to what's going on in Seattle. The Huskies' quarterback, running back and wide receiver trio is up there with any other team in the Big Ten. Demond Williams showed he can be special, posting over 400 total yards and five total touchdowns in the Sun Bowl, which was his second career start. Jonah Coleman is one of the best running backs in the Big Ten, and Denzel Boston is a true No. 1 on the outside. Those three guys give you a chance. The offensive line needs to be better, but Washington brought in some players to try and fix that. Denzel Boston was one of the top wide receivers in the Big Ten in 2024. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) I love what Fisch has done defensively. Ryan Walters was brought in to be Washington's defensive coordinator, and I think he's a great defensive mind. Fisch was able to get some defensive standouts from Arizona in the portal, too. In terms of its schedule, Washington gets three of its four toughest opponents (Ohio State, Illinois, Oregon) at home. Even with its struggles last season, Washington was able to keep its 20-game home winning streak alive last season. That's the second-longest such streak in the country, behind only Georgia. I think Washington wins at least one, if not two of those games. BYU: Sell This was an easy sell with everything that went on this summer with quarterback Jake Retzlaff. After getting out to a 9-0 start last season, there was some concern about how good BYU would be in 2025 due to the talent it lost defensively. Those who were bullish on BYU thought Retzlaff could help make up for those losses, but he transferred due to off-field matters. I love BYU head coach Kalani Sitake. This isn't indicative of him. Rather, it's just terrible timing at the most important position. Its three quarterbacks on the roster have made a combined 12 starts at the college level, with zero coming at the power conference level. North Carolina: Buy I landed on the Tar Heels for two reasons: trust and schedule. I trust head coach Bill Belichick, and they play a really favorable schedule. This team went under .500 a year ago, and it has a lot of transfers, so it's tough to project how this roster is going to do. I don't think Belichick cares about all the noise surrounding him and the program as of late. I think he cares about just getting his players to do their jobs. If they can do that in that conference against that schedule, no one is running away from the Tar Heels. Bill Belichick is entering his first season as UNC's head coach, and his first season coaching college ball. (Photo by) I think Belichick has a good chance of convincing his roster to not only do their jobs, but to also find ways not to beat themselves. His quarterback addition in the transfer portal, Gio Lopez, is a strong sign that he'll have a roster capable of doing that. Clemson is really the only team that is clearly better than UNC on its schedule. That might be UNC's only game against a top-25 team as well, avoiding Miami, Florida State, SMU, Louisville or Georgia Tech. So, if it loses to Clemson, it still has a manageable schedule. Cal: Sell I wish Justin Wilcox and his team weren't on this list, but you've just got to analyze the tea leaves. I thought this team might have overachieved in 2024 despite going 6-7. Wilcox is a terrific football coach and going 6-7 at Cal is really difficult to do. Getting back to that mark became even more difficult for Wilcox and Cal this offseason. It was probably hit harder in the portal than any other team, losing Fernando Mendoza, Jaydn Ott and several other key playmakers. This team can't compete, and its roster is going to make you say, "Who are these guys?" I know Cal's ACC schedule probably won't look daunting, but every team it plays in the conference slate will probably have better talent. Joel Klatt is FOX Sports' lead college football game analyst and the host of the podcast " The Joel Klatt Show. " Follow him at @joelklatt and subscribe to the "Joel Klatt Show" on YouTube . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily. share
USA Today
22-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Clemson dominates USA TODAY Sports' 2025 All-ACC preseason football team list
Clemson on top? USA TODAY Sports' ACC writers and experts unveil predicted order of finish for 2025 football season. USA TODAY Sports is riding high on the Clemson Tigers ahead of the 2025 college football season. On Monday, a total of nine Clemson players were named to USA TODAY Sports' All-ACC preseason team. Moreover, Dabo Swinney was named preseason Coach of the Year while quarterback Cade Klubnik was tabbed preseason Player of the Year in the ACC. The preseason all-conference team was voted on by regional USA TODAY Sports writers who cover the 17 ACC schools. Those writers also made predictions for the 2025 ACC football season with their projected order of finish. Here's a look at the nine Clemson selections on USA TODAY Sports' All-ACC preseason football team, as well as where the Tigers landed in the network's predicted order of finish. Clemson offense lands four players on USA TODAY Sports' All-ACC preseason football team Five Clemson Tigers garner All-ACC preseason football defensive honors ACC football projected order of finish, per USA TODAY Sports Clemson sweeps preseason Coach, Player of the Year awards USA TODAY Sports' preseason awards also include Coach of the Year, Player of the Year, and Newcomer of the Year. Clemson football schedule 2025 Clemson will open the 2025 season against the LSU Tigers at Memorial Stadium in prime time on Aug. 30. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on ABC. All times Eastern. Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.
