National analyst makes bold prediction for Clemson Playoff run

Cade Klubnik could lead a deep College Football Playoff run at Clemson.

Brandon Rink - Assoc. Editor / Staff Writer - Thursday, May 15 2025

If this bold prediction is right, Clemson football will play its longest season yet.

CBS Sports commemorated there being 100 days to the Week 0 kickoff of college football with a preview at this point, where they made some bold predictions.

Chip Patterson calls for Clemson to be in the national championship for the first time in the expanded College Football Playoff and the first time overall since the 2019 season.

"Dabo Swinney has made the College Football Playoff National Championship four times, winning twice, and though they have returned to the CFP twice (2020, 2024) since then, they have yet to show that high-end ceiling of the teams that played for it all in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019," Patterson said. "The 2025 edition of Clemson checks all the boxes for what we have come to believe as a title-winning blueprint for the Tigers. They have one of the top quarterbacks in the country in Cade Klubnik, a defensive line highlighted by surefire NFL talent and a versatile collection of skill talent that includes vets and young, emerging stars. You've got players like T.J. Parker and Peter Woods seeing their name on 2026 NFL Mock Drafts but also sophomores like Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore who flashed as rookies in 2024."

Patterson's Tier 1 of national contenders with Clemson includes the usual suspects with Texas, Ohio State, Penn State, Georgia, Oregon, Notre Dame, Alabama and LSU.

The 2025 season's national championship game is on Jan. 19 in 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. With a Top 4 bye, Clemson would likely be at the same site for the quarterfinals before either playing in the Fiesta Bowl (Glendale, Arizona) or Peach Bowl (Atlanta) in the semifinals.

He has Clemson-LSU and Clemson-South Carolina in his top non-conference games of the season also.