Since Dabo Swinney took over as the full-time head coach of the Clemson Tigers ahead of the 2009 college football season, only the Alabama Crimson Tide and Ohio State Buckeyes boast a better winning percentage than the defending ACC Champions. By basically any metric during that time period – their conference titles (9), the number of seasons they’ve competed in the College Football Playoff (7), or their National Title victories (2), or – it’s clear that Clemson is among the most complete and most successful programs in college football.
The 2025 season should be no different. Clemson will be ranked, at minimum, in the top ten when the season begins, and according to BetMGM, the Tigers are a considerable favorite (+120 odds) to win the ACC Championship for the tenth time in Dabo Swinney’s 18 years with the program. A recent set of positional rankings conducted by Pro Football Focus give credence to this belief among poll voters and bettors alike. `
Per PFF, the Clemson Tigers rank in the top ten in the positional unit rankings for quarterbacks (5th), wide receivers (3rd), offensive line (10th) and defensive line (1st). The fact that in the NFL, quarterbacks, wide receivers, edge rushers and offensive tackles are the four highest-paid positions in the league is not an accident. This is how championship teams are built, and the two most recent champions – the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL and the Ohio State Buckeyes in the NCAA – are further proof of this.
PFF’s Max Chadwick notes that Clemson starting quarterback Cade Klubnik is “my top returning quarterback in college football,” but docks Clemson some points for an inexperienced crop of QB’s behind him. He also claims that the trio of Bryant Wesco Jr., T.J. Moore and Antonio Williams is “about as good as there is in college football.”
But historically, where Clemson has dominated under Dabo Swinney, and will continue to dominate in 2025, is in the trenches.
Five offensive linemen who returned to Clemson for the 2025 season played at least 500 snaps during the 2024 campaign. Both tackles, Blake Miller and Tristan Leigh, have multiple seasons of starting experience, and Ryan Linthicum and Walker Parks started at center and right guard respectively last year.
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And then there’s the defensive line, where a pair of potential top ten picks in the 2026 NFL Draft will be terrorizing opposing offensive lines all year. Defensive tackle Peter Woods and edge defender T.J. Parker will both be All-ACC performers this season, and a rare transfer portal heist brings former Purdue edge rusher Will Heldt to Clemson to line up on the opposite side of Parker.
Historically, when Clemson has had the most success in the Dabo Swinney era, it’s been when the combination of quarterback and defense has been too much for opponents to overcome. Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence each have a National Title to their name, and on each of those title teams, numerous defensive standouts went on to play in the NFL. If Cade Klubnik makes another leap, all the pieces could be in place for a third National Title for Dabo Swinney.