
Can Clemson reach CFP title game? Joel Klatt makes bold prediction on Tigers 2025 season
Klatt, who had Clemson at No. 5 in his post-spring top 25 rankings in May and named Cade Klubnik the top quarterback in the nation entering 2025, offered fresh praise for the Tigers and coach Dabo Swinney on Monday.
In a "College Football Stock Watch" segment on his popular video podcast, "The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football Podcast," Klatt called Clemson the No. 1 team he was buying stock in heading into the new season.
Klatt explained why he's so high on the Tigers with only six Saturdays remaining until the season begins.
'Clemson is just really, really good,' Klatt says of Tigers
"Clemson is just really, really good. I think they're going to have an outstanding year," Klatt reiterated Monday. "They finished with 10 (wins) last year, snuck into the playoffs. They beat SMU in that championship game, gave Texas everything they could handle. Dabo seems to have, like, this confidence back."
"They bring back 16 starters from last year's group," Klatt continued. "Klubnik is back. Third season as a starter, third season with his offensive coordinator, Garrett Riley. Four returning starters on the offensive line. They're going to be seniors. I think the real question is running back. Gideon Davidson is a guy that's a top five running back. He will be a true freshman. I think he could have an impact for them."
Klatt shifted to the Tigers' defense and highlighted first-year defensive coordinator Tom Allen.
"Defense: loaded. Going to be one of the best defenses in the entire country," Klatt said. "New defensive coordinator, Tom Allen, he's in at DC after coming in from Penn State. They've got T.J. Parker, they've got Peter Woods, they've got Avieon Terrell at corner, Sammy Brown (at linebacker)."
Klatt believes 'loaded' Clemson could reach CFP title game
Klatt said that he was "toying" with the idea of naming Clemson a preseason pick to reach the national championship game in Miami.
"This is a team that will, for sure, be in the playoff and I think could make a deep run. I'll be pretty surprised if this is not a team in the (CFP) semifinals. And you know what? I'm toying around with, in my bracket, putting them as a team playing for the national championship. We'll just see who they play. I think Clemson is going to be incredible and again, trending upward from last season."
Klatt shares the belief held by many that the Tigers' schedule sets up nicely and that their toughest games come at the beginning and end of the regular season.
"This team is going to be loaded, and it's not a very difficult schedule. You could make a strong argument that their two most difficult games are non-conference games. They're going to have LSU in the opener, and they're going to have South Carolina (Nov. 29). I think both of those are tougher than any game they have on the rest of their schedule.
"In the ACC, they don't play Miami. They get SMU at home. They have road games at Georgia Tech and Louisville, so I think the toughest games are ... LSU, that's at home, Georgia Tech that's on the road, SMU at home, at Louisville, and then at South Carolina.
Klatt names North Carolina, Bill Belichick as 2025 college football 'buy'
Klatt's segment, featuring five teams he was buying and five he was selling for 2025, included the North Carolina Tar Heels, who Clemson will visit on Oct. 4 in Chapel Hill.
While he admits to waffling a bit on UNC, Klatt said there were two reasons he ultimately decided to buy in on the Tar Heels and first-year coach Bill Belichick: "trust and schedule."
"My (final) buy is North Carolina because I trust their coach, and they play a really favorable schedule," Klatt said before adding, "This team has a lot of transfers and it's really difficult to project what this roster is going to do. So again, this is more of a bet on Bill Belichick.
"I don't think Bill Belichick cares what all the noise is this offseason. I really don't... I think he cares about getting this roster, the team, the players, to believe that they can go out there and just do their job. If you do that, in that conference against that schedule, I don't think anyone is running away from them. So there's a good chance that this is a team that's going to be in a lot of games that they play."
Klatt praised UNC transfer quarterback Gio Lopez from South Alabama.
"Bill, along with guys like Nick Saban, will talk a lot about the fact that more games are lost in college football than won," Klatt said. "So it's not that you've got to go out there and be better than everybody. It's just that you've got to go out there and not beat yourself. You've got to be better than you. He understands that and in a lot of ways, that was The Patriot Way: don't make mistakes, be methodical.
"That's my reason for optimism, I think he can convince this roster to do that and if he does, they will be in and probably win a lot more games than you anticipate this next season."
Clemson football schedule 2025
Clemson opens the 2025 season against the LSU Tigers at Memorial Stadium in prime time on Aug. 30. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on ABC.
All times Eastern.
Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
BetMGM Bonus Code NW150: Claim $150 MLB Or 3M Open Betting Bonus
The BetMGM bonus code NW150 will give new users a $150 bonus or $1,500 bet offer for MLB games including Phillies vs. Yankees. The BetMGM bonus code NW150 will give new users a $150 bonus or $1,500 bet offer for MLB games including Phillies vs. Yankees. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Start up a new account with the BetMGM bonus code NW150 offer to get one of two welcome promos depending on your location. You will get a $150 bonus chance or a $1,500 first bet safety net when you sign up. Click here to start the easy registration process to bet on any game with these promos. New users will have plenty of chances to capitalize on these promos on Sunday. In MLB, huge series like Blue Jays-Tigers, Phillies-Yankees, Dodgers-Red Sox and Mets-Giants conclude. These games carry a lot of meaning for most teams with the trade deadline looming. In the WNBA, the Mercury-Mystics and Dream-Lynx matchups headline today's five-game slate. The 3M Open concludes with the final round, too. Use the welcome offer you are eligible for to bet on any of these games. New users in select states (MI, NJ, WV, PA) will get the $150 bonus offer. Users in other states will receive the $1,500 first bet safety net when they sign up. BetMGM Bonus Code NW150 For MLB, 3M Open BetMGM Promo Code NW150 New User Offer Bet $10, Get $150 Bonus (MI, NJ, PA, WV Only) or $1,500 First-Bet Offer In-App Promos Parlay Boost Token, MLB Daily Swing, etc. Terms and Conditions 21+ and Present in Participating States Bonus Last Verified On July 27, 2025 Information Confirmed By Newsweek The $150 first bet offer has an extra step, so let's go through that first. You must place a winning $10 bet to secure your bonus bets. With this in mind, make sure to pick a market that you feel is likely to settle as a win, rather than prioritizing the potential payout. If you plan to bet on an MLB game, you might want to look into some prop bet options. Betting on a certain player to record a hit or strike out a certain number of betters might be a better play than trying to predict the winner of an individual game. If you get the $1,500 first bet offer, you will have the ability to bet up to that amount and get your money refunded in the form of a bonus if your wager settles as a loss. For example, if you bet something like $800 on the Phillies to beat the Yankees, you will secure a large payout if that bet wins. If it loses, you will receive your $800 stake back in the form of a bonus. BetMGM Odds Boost Offers When you sign up for a BetMGM Sportsbook account, you will be able to secure daily odds boosts, early payouts and more throughout the sports calendar. For Sunday, you can secure profit boost tokens for MLB games and the final round of the 3M Open. In fact, there are separate golf and baseball odds boosts tokens that can be played across the July 27 MLB slate and the final round of the 3M Open. You can also play the MLB Daily Swing game to win prizes that you can use within the BetMGM Sportsbook app. Get up and running with a new account in time to make the most of these offers. Secure BetMGM Bonus Code NW150 Offer Click or on any of our other links to secure this offer from BetMGM Sportsbook. Just enter the code NW150 when you get to the registration page, along with basic personal information (name, age, address, etc.) From there, make an initial deposit with a secure payment method, like a credit card. Then, place your bet to take advantage of the offer you are eligible for. Any bonus bets you receive with either offer will expire after one week. Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.


USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
Four LSU football players make Phil Steele's First-Team All-SEC squad
LSU football boasts one of the most talented rosters in college football, which is reflected in Phil Steele's All-SEC predictions. Steele, the author of Phil Steele's College Football 25 Preview, included four Tigers on his First-Team All-SEC roster. On offense, Garrett Nussmeier headlines the group with Steele giving Nussmeier the nod over Arch Manning and LaNorris Sellers. Nussmeier was joined by one of his top pass catchers -- dynamic slot wide receiver Aaron Anderson. Anderson, a former five-star, was LSU's leading wide receiver in 2024, catching 61 passes for 884 yards. Of LSU's five leading receivers from 2024, Anderson is the only returnee. That sets the redshirt junior up for a big year. On defense, linebacker Whit Weeks makes the cut. Weeks isn't just garnering All-SEC hype -- he's seen as a strong All-American candidate. Steele gave LSU its flowers on special teams with kick returner Barion Brown earning First-Team Honors, too. Brown is expected to be one of LSU's top difference-makers on offense, but he's dangerous on special teams. At Kentucky, Brown returned five kicks for touchdowns.


Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
MLB World Series Odds (American League): Tigers Among Several Co-Favorites
Aaron Judge and the Yankees are among three teams that are seen as the betting co-favorites to win the American League as of late July. Aaron Judge and the Yankees are among three teams that are seen as the betting co-favorites to win the American League as of late July. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Ahead of next Thursday's (July 31) trade deadline, the American League looks wide-open. Oddsmakers currently see the Tigers, Yankees and Astros as the top favorites to win the American League, but all three of those clubs are 3-to-1 or longer at most sportsbooks, while the Blue Jays and Mariners are both also listed at 10-to-1 or shorter across the board right now. Looking even further ahead, at DraftKings, the Dodgers (+270) are the clear favorites to win the World Series, followed by the Mets (+800), Phillies (+850), Tigers (+850), Astros (+900) and Yankees (+1000). American League Winner Odds (as of July 27) Team (record) DraftKings FanDuel bet365 Tigers (60-46) +350 +370 +360 Yankees (56-48) +425 +420 +475 Astros (60-45) +370 +370 +425 Blue Jays (63-42) +450 +420 +300 Mariners (56-49) +800 +800 +850 Red Sox (56-50) +1600 +1400 +1500 Rangers (55-50) +1500 +1300 +1600 Rays (53-52) +3000 +2800 +1700 There's little separating the top teams in the American League right now, which makes guessing who will emerge from the AL a tough task right now. American League Winner Best Bet At first glance, the most interesting thing about the AL pecking order is the fact that -- according to oddsmakers, at least -- the Blue Jays are a half-step behind the Tigers, Yankees and Astros, even though it's Toronto who currently boasts the boast record in not only the AL, but all of MLB. In a race where there's little separating the top four teams, the red-hot Blue Jays strike me as the best bet at the moment, especially at +450 at DraftKings. Toronto is one of just three teams with at least eight wins in its last 10 games, and its growing lead on the Yankees and Red Sox in the loaded AL East makes it one of the few locks to reach the playoffs. The Toronto lineup is anchored by star 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who is one of four Blue Jays with at least 13 home runs. The pitching staff doesn't feature any 2025 All-Stars, but veteran starters Jose Berrios, Chris Bassitt and Kevin Gausman have all been solid, and closer Jeff Hoffman is among the league leaders in saves, with 24. Next week's trade deadline could change a lot for both the Blue Jays and their top competitors in the East, but right now, it's hard to resist a small wager on the team with the best record in baseball at longer than 4-to-1 odds. Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.