The Clemson Tigers enter 2025 as massive favorites in the ACC. The Tigers had to sneak into the CFP a season ago by upsetting SMU in the ACC title game. This year, the Tigers might take the front door path by ruling the ACC regular season. With a strong returning team, including Heisman candidate Cade Klubnik at quarterback, Dabo Swinney’s squad looks imposing.
The Tigers didn’t take things easy in the scheduling department, setting themselves up for a pair of games against Top 20 non-conference foes from the SEC. Add in an uneven but potentially challenging slate of ACC games, and Clemson figures to have some challenges. Here are the top five potential stumbling blocks on the Clemson regular season schedule for 2025.
Top 5 challenging games for Clemson in 2025
5. At North Carolina
The Tar Heels are on this list for two reasons: first, this is a road game, which presents its own inherent challenges. Secondly, the addition of Bill Belichick on the sideline makes this North Carolina team a massive wildcard.
A season ago, North Carolina was 6-7 and not a major threat. But now? Can one of the greatest coaches in the history of football make UNC a contender? Clemson has to be considered with the possibility that he can.
4. At Louisville
This is an even more challenging road game. The Cardinals took down Clemson on the road last year, 33-21, and could be a factor in the ACC race this fall. This will be a Friday game in Louisville, and the Miller Moss-led Cardinals could light up scoreboards after putting up 36.5 points per game last year. Jeff Brohm’s Cardinals might be a bit overlooked in the ACC race, but a second straight win over Clemson is a possibility.
3. At South Carolina
Ah, yes, first, it’s an old-fashioned rivalry game. Anything can happen in this battle, and probably will. South Carolina has won two of the last three games in this series, so there’s certainly no question that they’re capable of the upset under Shane Beamer.
QB LaNorris Sellers could be a dangerous dual-threat standout, and this game, coming at the end of the season, could cause Clemson a late stumble. Don’t sleep on the Gamecocks at their home.
2. SMU
A year ago, SMU was a surprise team that snuck into the ACC title game and the CFP field. But they can’t be a surprise now, and indeed they’re not. QB Kevin Jennings returns to lead his 11-3 squad, and his dual-threat skills could be a handful for the Clemson defense. Over the last two years, SMU put up 38.7 and 36.5 points per game. This is the Mustangs’ first-ever trip to Clemson and could have massive ACC and CFP implications.
1. LSU
Is the first game the biggest? For Clemson, it probably is. Opening with a top 10 LSU squad means that right away, one of these teams will make an impressive opening statement for the CFP, while the other will slide down the rankings a bit. Klubnik and LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier are two of the nation’s top passers, and this could turn into an old-fashioned light-the-scoreboard-up shootout.
The last time these two teams played, LSU and Joe Burrow beat Clemson for the national title. Nobody’s putting quite those stakes on the line in Week 1, but it’s a big one for everyone involved and should be a must-see game.
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