Pate on Clemson possibly doing he biggest ‘I told you so’ in history

Josh Pate has spent plenty of time questioning whether Dabo Swinney’s old-school mindset can still win big in a sport dominated by roster turnover and the transfer portal. Yet even with that skepticism, he’s placing one of the boldest bets of the offseason on Clemson’s side.

Pate, who’s built a reputation for telling it straight, picked the Tigers to win the national championship in 2025 — and says it could deliver one of the greatest “I told you so” moments college football has ever seen.

On his show, Pate explained why he thinks Clemson is the biggest wild card in the country. He pointed to the Tigers’ stacked returning roster, a third-year starter in Cade Klubnik who finished strong last year, the return of Garrett Riley as offensive coordinator, and the hire of Tom Allen to run the defense.

He also highlighted Clemson’s huge edge in returning production and how many young players got significant reps last season, giving Swinney a foundation most programs can’t match.

“It’s a classic fork in the road,” Pate said. “If they win it, I don’t know if there’s ever been a bigger ‘I told you so.’”

He did warn that another slip — or even a decent but underwhelming season — could push Clemson further from the Playoff conversation. But for now, Pate believes the Tigers have everything they need to prove their championship window isn’t closed yet — and to remind everyone they’re still capable of backing up all the talk.

If Clemson pulls it off, it won’t just be another trophy for the case — it’ll be a loud statement that Swinney’s faith in doing things his way still works, no matter how much the sport changes around him.

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Source link : https://clemsonwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/clemson/football/2025/07/10/clemson-football-josh-pate-history/84541783007/

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Publish date : 2025-07-10 22:00:00

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