Only one ESPN GameDay expert picks Clemson to Playoff

Yes, that's ESPN analyst Desmond Howard's Playoff projection.

by Brandon Rink - Staff Writer - Sat Aug 27 16:21:14 GMT-04:00 2022

There's some skepticism on Dabo Swinney's Tigers going into the full start of the 2022 season next week.

ESPN's College GameDay show gave its season predictions on Saturday and just one picked a Clemson return to the College Football Playoff, with David Pollack having the Tigers bowing out in the semifinals.

Desmond Howard is picking another ACC team to the football final four with Pitt and he's taking Texas A&M to win the national title. Kirk Herbstreit has a four of Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama and Baylor and he picks Ohio State to win the national championship. Lee Corso is picking Alabama, Utah, Georgia and Ohio State and the Buckeyes to win it all as well. Pollack is taking the Crimson Tide for the national championship.

All but Howard predicted Clemson to win the ACC, however.

"Clemson plays Miami and Clemson wins. Offense, can you believe it? Clemson's offense wins it," Corso said.

"I think Dabo's going to have an angry football team this year and I think Clemson wins it," said Herbstreit.

Howard talked up his Pitt pick.

"I think coach (Pat) Narduzzi has the defense and Kedon Slovis is the quarterback for Pitt and I have Pitt winning the ACC. Second year in a row for the Pitt Panthers," Howard said.

The panel took their time to lay out what exactly they want to see from Clemson in 2022 as well.

"I think they bounce back, but if we go back to last year, they won 10 games," Pollack said. "They lost to Georgia the national champions. They lost to Pitt the ACC champions. They lost to NC State -- all of them were great football games, but the offense didn't pull their weight. Who's back? The best defensive line in the country. They're going to make everyone's life real hard on the defensive side of the football. It all revolves around DJ. The new, slimmer approach, if he worked on his mechanics. I think it's going to be interesting to see.

"The defense will dominate, but offensively, Kelly Bryant -- will they do what they did with Kelly Bryant (in 2018) and Cade Klubnik becomes the guy down the road? Either way, the offense is going to be the tale."

Howard is concerned about coordinators Tony Elliott and Brent Venables moving on.

"When you look at what they lost, not just the players but the coordinators -- that causes concern for me. These are two special playcallers. They lost Tony Elliott -- he was the offensive coordinator," Howard said. "It takes skill, intuition -- it takes a lot to be a playcaller. It doesn't show up every week but it shows up against opponents you were equally matched up again. He's at UVa -- I understand that they hired from within. People don't give the right amount of attention to longterm playcallers who were successful at it -- who are great at it. You don't just step into those shoes and fill in like there's nothing to it. There's a rhythm to it.

"I want to see how the playcalling on offense and defense because they lost Brent Venables too."

Herbstreit needs to see DJ Uiagalelei run the ball this season.

"They got a dress rehearsal in that bowl game against Iowa State," he said. "I think that's a legitimate concern until you see it. I think Dabo is beyond confident in what they can do on both sides of the ball and they have history (of promoting from within)...It's one thing for DJ Uiagalelei to lose the weight. For me, it's a willingness to run the ball. Whether it's Trevor Lawrence or Deshaun Watson -- especially Tajh Boyd, in that offense the quarterback has to be a run threat. And last year I saw a hesitant quarterback instead of being decisive and either getting the ball out throwing or running and taking off.

"So, great that he lost weight, but where is his mind in being ready to be aggressive running the ball which will open the throwing lanes to throw to those talented receivers."