TJ Inman

Florida State Aims for Revenge in Upcoming Game | Analysis

At the height of Nick Saban&#8216;s power in Tuscaloosa and with the Crimson Tide seemingly ruling college football without peer, only one school consistently stepped forward to challenge and best Alabama: Dabo Swinney&#8216;s Clemson Tigers. Swinney made Clemson a consistent winner, but they struggled in big games before redefining what &#8220;Clemsoning meant. From 2015 to 2019, Clemson rattled off 14-1, 14-1, 12-2, 15-0, and 14-1 seasons as they were in the College Football Playoff four times and won a pair of national titles. One could reasonably argue that for those five years, the Tigers were the best program in the country. Clemson has not fallen off a cliff since that period, but it is fair to say that they have taken a step back. That includes the first season since 2010 in which they failed to win double-digit games, finishing 9-4 with a win in the Gator Bowl. In the second year under offensive coordinator Garrett Riley, can Dabo Swinney&#8217;s refusal to utilize the transfer portal still bring big-time success at Clemson? 
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<h2>Clemson Tigers Preview</h2>
2023 Record: 9-4 (4-4) 
ACC Finish: Tied for 6th
A.P. Poll: 14  | Coaches Poll: 14 | PFF: 13 | SP+: 14
Head Coach: Dabo Swinney | Overall: 170-43 (103-23)
Offensive Coordinator: Garrett Riley (2nd season)
Defensive Coordinator: Wes Goodwin (3rd season)
<h2>Clemson Tigers Futures Odds (FanDuel)</h2>
National Championship Odds: +6000 | CFB Playoff Odds: +200 | ACC Championship Odds: +360
Win 10+ Games: +150 | Undefeated Regular Season: +2600 | Regular Season Wins: OVER 8.5 (-172)/UNDER (+140)
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<h2>Clemson Preview: Why You Should Be Bullish</h2>
After a 4-4 start to the 2023 season, Clemson was in a hole and had to decide which way to respond. The goals they entered the season with were gone, and the standard the program had set was not going to be met, but the Tigers showed impressive grit to dig deep and win five straight games to close the campaign. It was not always pretty, but the five-game winning streak did include wins over Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, South Carolina on the road, and Kentucky in a bowl game. There was progress towards the end of the season on offense, and Clemson will almost certainly have better turnover luck and red zone efficiency this season than they did in 2024. The most significant issues Clemson revolved around the passing game. The wide receiver room was not healthy and not productive enough, and the offensive line was subpar. Clemson added a pair of five-star wideouts in <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/bryant-wesco/37267">Bryant Wesco</a> and <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/tj-moore/37184">TJ Moore</a>, and they are hopeful those two, along with the return of a healthy <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/antonio-williams/37259">Antonio Williams</a> and <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/tyler-brown/37188">Tyler Brown</a>, will help <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/cade-klubnik/37193">Cade Klubnik</a> take off in his second year as a full-time starter and with Garrett Riley. The biggest reason for optimism comes on the other side of the ball, as the defense returns a ton of talent. <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/tj-parker/37155">TJ Parker</a> and <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/peter-woods/37145">Peter Woods</a> are emerging stars anchoring a stout defensive line, while <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/barrett-carter/37262">Barrett Carter</a> is back as one of the nation&#8217;s better linebackers. The secondary has a lot of young talent, with safety <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/khalil-barnes/37268">Khalil Barnes</a> likely to be one of the ACC&#8217;s best. If the offense turns it over less and takes a slight step forward, Clemson should be contending for the ACC crown again.
<h2>Clemson Preview: Why You Should Be Bearish</h2>
Has modern college football passed Dabo Swinney by? Four schools could not take a single incoming transfer from the transfer portal: Army, Navy, Air Force, and Clemson. One of those things is not like the other. A unique set of restrictions binds the service academies, but Swinney is only prevented from partaking in the transfer portal because of his beliefs. This approach is akin to an NFL team refusing to participate in free agency and only building a team through the NFL Draft. Believing in your guys and your culture is one thing, but it also puts supreme importance on your high school talent evaluation and development. There is no room for error on the offensive line if you refuse to supplement the roster like your competitors do. In terms of actual personnel, Clemson is relying on <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/cade-klubnik/37193">Cade Klubnik</a> and a group of receivers that have not proven much at the collegiate level to make a leap forward. If they fail to do so, the Tigers become one-dimensional on offense, and the defense has a young secondary that might not be quite as elite as they were in past seasons. 
<h2>Breakout Player: Peter Woods &#8211; Defensive Line</h2>
Defensive lineman <a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/peter-woods/37145">Peter Woods</a> was a five-star recruit who chose Clemson over offers from nearly every high-major school. He played a bunch as a true freshman and performed well: 26 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss. There is a lot of talk around Clemson’s fall camp that suggests Woods is ready to have a dominant sophomore season. He has bulked up to 320 pounds, but he has not lost any of his speed or explosiveness, and the Tigers have moved him from the interior of the line to the edge. Clemson has a new defensive line coach (Chris Rumph) who has a reputation as one of the best in the industry, and Woods, along with fellow sophomore T.J. Parker, are ready for a star turn as leaders on the Clemson defensive line. An All-America campaign is very possible for the talented Woods.
<h2>Clemson X-Factor: Bryant Wesco Jr. &#8211; Wide Receiver</h2>
<a href="https://www.sportsgrid.com/cfb/players/bryant-wesco/37267">Bryant Wesco</a> is not the biggest wide receiver. He&#8217;s not built like Ohio State&#8216;s freshman Jeremiah Smith or Auburn&#8216;s Cam Coleman. He is swift in short areas, an outstanding route runner, and has terrific hands. The freshman also hopes to fill a significant need for the Clemson Tigers. Clemson needs a true standout wide receiver to elevate this offense and be someone opposing defenses must pay attention to. It has been a while since the days of DeAndre Hopkins, Mike Williams, or Sammy Watkins. Wesco won&#8217;t be those guys right away. Still, if he can be a real contributor right away, that can help the returning wide receivers slide into more natural roles as complementary pieces instead of leading targets. That would go a long way toward stabilizing the Clemson offense.
<h2>Clemson Schedule Analysis</h2>
The Clemson Tigers have a front-loaded slate that puts a ton of pressure on the team to be ready to go right out of the gates. They begin with a neutral site game against the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs in Atlanta. Clemson is a heavy underdog, and while a loss does not change Clemson&#8217;s goals or impact what they can accomplish, a blowout would be a real referendum on the program. They follow that up with a challenging game against Appalachian State and a clash against ACC sleeper NC State. On October 5, the Tigers play at Florida State. That means that by October 5, Clemson will have played three ranked teams and one of the better Group of Five teams in the country. They will feel outstanding if they can get out of that stretch at 4-1. Even 3-2 would not be a disaster. The Tigers do not play Miami, and they get Louisville at home. Plus, they draw Wake Forest, Stanford, Virginia, and Pitt in addition to a game with The Citadel and a home game against rival South Carolina. 
<h2>Clemson Prediction: OVER/UNDER 8.5</h2>
If we begin the season with losses to Georgia and at Florida State written in ink, Clemson&#8216;s ceiling would be 10-2. The win total is now 8.5, so to go under, you&#8217;d need to find an additional two defeats. That could be NC State or Louisville, but those games are in Death Valley. Maybe November 9 against Virginia Tech? Even if they drop that one, Clemson still reaches nine victories. The over is heavily juiced, so this is not a bet worth taking. However, I don&#8217;t see four losses on the schedule, so if you are forced to bet on one side, take the over.
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<h2>Clemson Preseason Pick</h2>
Over 8.5 Wins (-172 at FanDuel)
<h2>Clemson Best Bets</h2>
ACC Championship (+360)
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The 2024 college football season is rapidly approaching. What does the Clemson Tigers' 2024 campaign look like? Can they bounce back from 2023 and win the ACC?

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