How many generational quarterbacks can the Clemson Tigers produce in the span of a single decade? Deshaun Watson left campus as the best quarterback in school history after leading Clemson to its first national championship in 35 years in 2016. A few years later, Clemson had an even better signal caller as Trevor Lawrence led the Tigers to their third national championship as a freshman, and he brought the team to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in his first two seasons under center. Lawrence was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and he leaves some mighty big shoes to fill, but Clemson is still an enormous favorite to win the ACC.
Clemson Tigers Season Win Total
Over 11.5 -101
Under 11.5 -119
Clemson Tigers Preview
D.J. Uiagalelei will replace Lawrence as Clemson’s signal caller. Uiagalelei was the No. 1 pro-style quarterback in the Class of 2020. He became the back-up quarterback last season and played very well when Lawrence had to miss two games with COVID. Uiagalelei completed 30 of 41 passes for 342 yards and two touchdowns against Boston College in his first start, but it was his play against Notre Dame that had Clemson convinced they were in the right hands. The freshman completed 29 of 44 passes for 439 yards with two touchdowns before the Tigers dropped a thriller to the Irish in South Bend.
This offense won’t have Travis Etienne Jr. carrying the ball either. Instead, Lyn-J Dixon will be the primary ballcarrier in 2021. Dixon ran for 190 yards (4.5 YPC) and two touchdowns last year, but he was far more effective in his previous two seasons, running for 547 yards (8.8 YPC) in 2018 and 635 yards (6.1 YPC) in 2019.
The return of Justyn Ross will provide a huge boost to the receiving corps. Ross missed all of last year after undergoing a complex back surgery. He thrived in 2018 and 2019, so this passing game will be in great shape if he can return to form. If not, E.J. Williams and tight end Braden Galloway will likely be the best options.
There are real concerns about the offensive line though. Clemson’s big boys had some trouble staying on defensive linemen last year, and we saw Lawrence repeatedly hounded by Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl. The hope is that a year of experience will make this unit better in 2021.
Brent Venables is one of the top defensive coordinators in the country, and he should have one of the best defenses nationally in 2021. Clemson returns 10 of 11 starters from last season, and this defensive line might be ready to dominate once more. Myles Murphy was extremely impressive as a freshman, and Bryan Bresee was even better as a Freshman All-American at defensive tackle.
Seniors James Skalski and Baylon Spector pace the linebacking corps, and the secondary is full of experience. Nolan Turner led the team with three interceptions and was second on the team in tackles in 2020, and Mario Goodrich is a solid cornerback.
2021 Clemson Tigers Schedule
September 4 vs. Georgia*
September 11 vs. South Carolina State
September 18 vs. Georgia Tech
September 25 @ North Carolina State
October 2 vs. Boston College
October 15 @ Syracuse
October 23 @ Pittsburgh
October 30 vs. Florida State
November 6 @ Louisville
November 13 vs. Connecticut
November 20 vs. Wake Forest
November 27 @ South Carolina
Clemson Tigers Win Total Prediction
Georgia is Clemson’s toughest test this season, and the Tigers must face the Bulldogs right off the bat. The Tigers should have some kind of homefield advantage since the game is in Charlotte, but they are only a field goal favorite against the Bulldogs.
Clemson is likely to be favored by double digits in every other game during the regular season. The Tigers avoid both North Carolina and Miami in ACC play, and perennial power Florida State is still rebuilding. None of the road games figure to be too tough, and in-state rival South Carolina is no longer the threat it once was under Steve Spurrier.
It’s rare that a season win total is essentially decided in Week 1, but that’s the case here. Georgia might finally have a quarterback to take the program to the promised land in J.T. Daniels, so the under is the better option here.
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