National outlet on Clemson win total, big season ahead for 'stubbornly crazy' Dabo Swinney

CFN says we're about to find out if Dabo Swinney had it right all along in the transfer portal era this season.

Brandon Rink · Assoc. Editor / Staff Writer · Friday, July 04 2025

Clemson's win total over/under is set at 9.5, which seems low for a season with such high national expectations.

That said, Dabo Swinney's Tigers have topped that regular-season total just once since 2021, after doing so each season from 2015-19.

College Football News' Pete Fiutak is setting the bar slightly lower for Clemson than the current odds, with a win total at nine, but that doesn't mean he is down on potential Tigers success.

"The Tigers will know right out of the gate if they’re for real," Fiutak said. "They deal with the other Death Valley Tigers when LSU comes to town, and there are just enough landmines from there to maintain focus throughout...

"Like last year, there will be losses along the way. But unlike last year, Clemson should be able to get to the College Football Playoff even if it doesn’t win the ACC Championship."

The CFN analyst doesn't categorize any ACC games as more than "50/50 games" but also doesn't see any "likely losses."

Fiutak pointed to a return to run defense dominance of the 2018 national championship season as a key.

"No one averaged over four yards per carry against the killer front four," he said of the 2018 Clemson defense. "The year after, Ohio State and that all-timer LSU squad each ran for over five yards per carry, both were CFP games, and no one else did much of anything.

"Last year? Nine teams averaged 4.4 yards or more per carry, three of those got to five yards a run, and four others - Texas, Georgia, South Carolina, and Louisville - averaged over six yards per pop. All four of them won."

On the Clemson offense side, Gideon Davidson is seen as the key player.

"Running back is hardly a concern, but this is the one area of the offense that isn’t sure-thing, next-level fantastic," Fiutak said. "Quarterback Cade Klubnik will run well, and there’s enough talent to form a rotation, but if Jay Haynes can’t get back to 100% after suffering a knee injury, the Tigers need the electric true freshman to handle the rushing workload."

He has two Clemson linemen in his Top 10 Tiger players with Blake Miller (3) and Walker Parks (10), a list led by T.J. Parker and Cade Klubnik.

"The skill guys get all of the love and attention, but if Clemson is going to have an expected huge season offensively, it starts with the line loaded with All-ACC-caliber talents," said Fiutak. "Four of the five starters are back, with tackle Blake Miller and guard Walker Parks the stars of the show. It would be nice to do a bit more for the ground game, and this five needs to be better to keep defenses out of the backfield, but this will be as rock-solid as any line in the ACC."

Overall, Fiutak sees this season as potential proof of concept for Swinney's philosophy success with staying consistent in the frenetic transfer portal era.

"Maybe this is how you’re really supposed to do it. Recruit well, build a foundation, and be patient as everyone has years in the system to figure it all out. Maybe it just took a few years to get here," he said. "As I keep being asked on various shows this offseason, is Clemson 'for real?' Is the way Dabo does things so stubbornly crazy it just might work?

"We’re about to find out."