Let's take a look at Clemson football.
Best / Worst Case Record for :
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Clemson
How can a 11-3 (8-0) top-15 season with an ACC Title be a disappointment? Well, when you are in the rarefied air of the Alabamas, Georgias and Ohio States of the world it isn’t. Do you think any of those schools are satisfied with conference titles and top 15 seasons? No, and neither is Clemson. The Tigers have now gone two years without a playoff appearance, after six straight top 5 seasons. Dabo Swinney made some off-season coaching changes bringing in the hottest OC in the country Garrett Riley to try and get Clemson back to where we are accustomed to seeing them, and that’s at or near the top of college football.
Will Go 12-0 (8-0) if:
Clemson’s offense takes a leap under new OC Garrett Riley. From the QB, to the skill positions, to the scheme – Clemson just wasn’t where it was a couple of years ago. New QB Cade Klubnik should be an upgrade at QB, and the defense has the talent to be extremely good. The schedule has Clemson’s toughest opponents Florida State and Notre Dame coming to Death Valley. Will Shipley is set at RB, but if some of the other questions can get answered on offense – Clemson certainly can run the table and get back to the playoffs.
Will Go 8-4 (6-2) if:
The Tigers tread water on both sides of the ball from last season. Clemson was pretty good on offense and pretty good on defense. Pretty good is going to leave them far short of their goals. Florida State and Notre Dame could beat a pretty good Clemson, and games at Duke, at NC State, at Miami, and at South Carolina could be problematic. Clemson, as good as their personal is, has enough talent gaps that they just can’t overwhelm their schedule. I don’t see any Mike Williams or Sammy Watkins at WR at the moment. There’s potential there, but it’s not a sure thing. Clemson hasn’t lost 4 regular season games since 2011, but it is not out of the question if it could happen.
