2025 Clemson Predictions on the HG

Apr 14

Apr 14 2025 Clemson Predictions on the HG

Jake Wimberly

Ross Gaskin Contributing:

What’s to like:

The Clemson Tigers and their legendary head coach Dabo Swinney had an amazing 2024 season, and will look to improve upon that in 2025. That won’t be hard when they’ve got a QB like Cade Klubnik. Klubnik is coming off a season where he threw for 3,639 yards and 36 TDs while adding 463 yards and 7 TDs on the ground.

Cade Klubnik will have a trio of young Tiger WRs to throw to as well. Sophomore Antonio Wilson, freshman Bryant Wesco, and freshman TJ Moore combined for 2,263 receiving yards and 21 TDs. Look for Cade Klubnik to be a Heisman favorite and his Tigers to go on a tear this upcoming season.

What’s not to like:

Clemson really doesn’t have that much to not like with their team. They have a great coach, great players on both sides, and they really didn’t lose that much in the offseason. However, with all of that talent on defense, they still are ranked really low nationally.

Clemson had the 7th ranked offense, but they were ranked at 28th on defense. If the Tigers want to reach the mountain top again, they need to tighten up that defense and rely on their young stars like Khalil Brown, T.J. Parker, and Sammy Brown. If these guys can come out and have another great season, and the rest of the defense follows suit, the Tiger defense will be scary.

What does the Hourglass say?

Clemson- ACC (12-0)

Power ranking 130.06. 3rd toughest schedule in the ACC.

2025 Clemson Analytics

National recruiting rating (three year metric): #28- inside the boundary of a National Championship Roster.

National Coaching Ranking:

Dabo Swinney- 8th in Power 5 and 1st in the ACC.

2024 coaching value= 17 (average 2025 Power 5 coaching value=9.3) Dabo Swinney ranks as one of the best coaches in the Power 5.

ODE analytics 2024 Nationally:

Offensive Ranking: 7th

Defensive Ranking: 28th

Quarterback Play: Klubnik- ranked 1st in the Power 4, 1st in the ACC; 2024 QB value= 33.6(Power 4 average- 14.41). Klubnik is the best QB in college football

Impact Ball Catcher Metric: Clemson has an Impact Ball Catcher Metric of 3. This puts the Tigers at middle of the pack for the ACC in this metric.

From Vegas:

Clemson ATS in 2024: 6-8

Clemson at home: 3-4

Clemson on the road: 2-3

Clemson neutral site: 1-1

Final thoughts:

The Clemson Tigers are projected to be undefeated for a reason. This team is really good, end of story. The Tigers have the best QB in college football with Cade Klubnik, and they have a ton of returning stars on both sides of the ball. Clemson will be just as dominant as they have always been, and Death Valley will be rocking this year. Expect for Dabo Swinney and his pack of Tigers to make a deep run in the playoffs.

2025 Schedule analysis:

Projected Hourglass W/L record: Games in red denote games that could be a one possession game or even a different outcome than projection.