CBS predicts first 2025 Clemson loss to come in rivalry game

Cade Klubnik and Clemson met adversity as early as it gets with a 34-3 season opener loss to Georgia last season. A CBS projection doesn't see defeat for the Tigers until late November at South Carolina.

Brandon Rink · Assoc. Editor / Staff Writer · Saturday, August 09 2025

CBS Sports continued its series predicting the first defeat for each Power conference team, and the forecast for Clemson doesn't bring that call until late November.

CBS analyst Brad Crawford says the Tigers will sweep through the LSU opener and then ACC play undefeated, but when it comes time for the rivalry game in Columbia, the Gamecocks are predicted to hold the home field for the first time there since 2013 and the first time for either team in the series since 2018.

"That's right. The Gamecocks could potentially spoil an unbeaten regular season for Dabo Swinney and the Tigers," Crawford said. "South Carolina handed Clemson one of its four losses last fall with two others coming to additional SEC teams. South Carolina hasn't beaten Clemson at home since the 2013 season with the Gamecocks' only two wins in the series since each coming on the road. Even if Clemson suffers a letdown in the Palmetto State rivalry, the Tigers could be the top seed in the playoff if they're able to win the ACC championship the following week."

FanDuel has Clemson installed as an early 4.5-point favorite to win a sixth-straight in Columbia.

Crawford predicts Clemson to go on to win the ACC Championship and earn a three seed in the College Football Playoff.

Clemson is seen as the first defeat for two ACC programs, with Georgia Tech on Sept. 13 in Atlanta and SMU at Clemson on Oct. 18.

"Getting past Colorado on the road to open the season on Aug. 29 will not be easy for Brent Key's program, but there are less questions surrounding the Yellow Jackets than the Buffaloes at this point. Now, beating Clemson for the first time since 2015 is a different task entirely. Georgia Tech's bread is buttered up front with veterans across the offensive line, but the Tigers have two potential future first-round draft picks in this one chasing Haynes King throughout — defensive tackle Peter Woods and edge rusher T.J. Parker," Crawford said of Tech. "A highly-anticipated rematch of last season's conference title game, there's a chance the Mustangs travel to Death Valley in mid-October sporting an unblemished record and top 10 ranking following early tests against Baylor and TCU. This is the first of three regular-season games we're expecting to come against nationally-ranked competition for Rhett Lashlee's squad," he added on Tigers-Mustangs.

Clemson opens the season hosting LSU on Aug. 30 (7:30 p.m./ABC).