ESPN win projections for Clemson’s 2023 football schedule

Clemson is given an 80% or higher projection by the ESPN FPI in seven of the games and only one matchup is below 71%.

by Brandon Rink - Staff Writer - Wed Apr 19 08:32:19 GMT-04:00 2023

Clemson enters the 2023 campaign as a pretty heavy favorite in most games according to ESPN’s Football Power Index.

The Tigers debuted at an ACC-leading eighth overall in the FPI metric rankings this week, which posited Clemson as about a 4-point favorite on the No. 13 Seminoles on a neutral field.

In Death Valley, however, Clemson is given a 71.3% win projection in the battle with the former division rival. If the teams finish 1-2 in the ACC standings, they would meet in Charlotte’s ACC Championship in a first season without divisions since expansion.

FPI sees the closest Clemson matchup with the metric's No. 9 Notre Dame and its trip to Clemson, giving the Tigers a 63.2% win projection. According to the FPI rating, Clemson is slotted as a 1-point favorite on a neutral field over the Irish and therefore afforded a little more leeway on the home field.

Clemson is given an 85.2% win projection in the Labor Day opener at 2022 bowl team Duke (9-4).

Capping the regular season, Dabo Swinney’s Tigers are tagged with an 80.4% win projection to exact some revenge in Columbia versus South Carolina. Clemson was slotted an 88.9% projection before last year’s 1-point home loss to the Gamecocks.

Overall, Clemson is marked with an 80% or higher projection against seven opponents and only the Notre Dame matchup falls below 71%.

The Tigers are projected the sixth-best odds of any FBS program to win their conference (44.5%). Florida State is next-best in the league with a 17% chance, then North Carolina (13.9%).

ESPN FPI projections for Clemson’s 2023 season

9/4 - 85.2% win at Duke

9/9 - 99% win over Charleston Southern

9/16 - 96.5% win over Florida Atlantic

9/23 - 71.3% win over Florida State

9/30 - 74.3% win at Syracuse

10/7 - 87.2% win over Wake Forest

10/21 - 75% win at Miami

10/28 - 73% win at NC State

11/4 - 63.2% win over Notre Dame

11/11 - 94.5% win over Georgia Tech

11/18 - 81.1% win over UNC