Let's take a look at Clemson football.
Best / Worse Case Record for :
Louisville | Virginia | Miami | Duke | Georgia Tech | Boston College | Pittsburgh | Florida State | Virginia Tech | NC State | Syracuse | North Carolina | Wake Forest
Clemson
When you are in the rarified air of the Clemson Tigers, you are measured differently than the rest of the ACC. In fact you measured differently than the rest of the country outside of Alabama and Ohio State. At the end of 2018, and a 44-16 woodshedding of Alabama, the Tigers had caught the Tide. Two years later, the Tigers have fallen ever so slightly behind going 1-2 in the college football playoffs with both losses – LSU in 2019 and Ohio State 2020 getting out of hand in the 2nd half. Does Dabo Swinney and Clemson have a team in 2021 that can get them back to the top of college football?
Will Go 12-0 (8-0) if:
The offensive line is better than the last two years. In Clemson’s playoff loss to Ohio State, they didn’t even rush for 50 yards. The Tigers couldn’t muster 400 total yards in their loss to LSU. In large part, Clemson’s struggles in the playoffs have been due to spotty offensive line play. The secondary struggled too, but I’m less worried about the defense. We’ll know right away how the offensive line holds up against elite competition in the Tigers opening game against Georgia. If the Tigers get by UGA, they can beat by anyone else on the schedule by sheer talent alone. The defensive line could be the country’s best. I don’t expect any issues with D.J. Uiagalelei at quarterback.
Will Go 9-3 (6-2) if:
The Tigers can’t establish a consistent running game. This goes back to the offensive line, but also to the talented yet unproven backs on Clemson’s roster. That could be a bad combination. There’s neither a 200 yard rusher or 400 yard receiver from 2020 returning. WR Justyn Ross is back after missing a year, but we have to see if he is player he was before injury. Georgia is certainly a game that Clemson can lose, but NC State and Boston College very dangerous games too. A game at Pitt will not be a picnic either. I can’t see the defense being anything but very good. It’s the offense that could have question marks.
