Stewart Mandel of The Athletic($$$) sees Clemson as the safest bet among defending conference champs to keep its crown in 2025. In a recent piece ranking Power 4 champions by their chances to repeat this season, Mandel put the Tigers at the very top of the list.
“The Tigers won last year’s ACC by the skin of their teeth, sliding into the title game only when Miami got upset at Syracuse, then edging SMU on Nolan Hauser’s 56-yard field goal,” Mandel wrote. “But this year’s team appears to be the clear top of the class.”
Mandel pointed to the return of Cade Klubnik — “one of the nation’s top returning quarterbacks” — and standout receiver Antonio Williams as big reasons Clemson should lead the pack again. He also highlighted a defensive line headlined by T.J. Parker and Peter Woods, which could be one of the country’s best, plus the expected impact of new defensive coordinator Tom Allen.
“That’s not to say Miami and SMU can’t contend as well,” Mandel added, “but if it’s Clemson vs. the field, I’ll take Clemson.”
If Dabo Swinney’s group pulls it off, it would mark a ninth ACC championship in the last 11 seasons dating back to 2015.
Georgia, Oregon, and Arizona State rounded out Mandel’s ranking in that order, but none felt as certain to him as Clemson. The Tigers kick things off against LSU on August 30 in primetime before opening ACC play at Georgia Tech on September 13.
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Source link : https://clemsonwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/clemson/football/2025/06/29/where-clemson-lands-in-mandels-conference-winners-repeat-chances/84411417007/
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Publish date : 2025-06-30 01:51:00
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