USA TODAY tabs Clemson as national championship sleeper

Dabo Swinney has a team with all the elements of a deep CFP run.

Brandon Rink · Assoc. Editor / Staff Writer · Tuesday, June 17 2025

After a spring with plenty of positive press, there aren't many sleeping on Clemson to make a College Football Playoff return.

Winning the whole thing for the first time since 2018 (but the third time in less than a decade under Dabo Swinney) is another matter.

USA TODAY's Blake Toppmeyer laid out the five national championship sleepers to watch this season, with Clemson having the best betting odds of the group:

Clemson

BetMGM odds: 13-to-1

What’s not to like about Clemson? The Tigers returned gobs of production, making them the decisive ACC frontrunner. Much like LSU, they feature a seasoned quarterback (Cade Klubnik) and a talented batch of wide receivers. Clemson hosts LSU in a Week 1 prove-it game. Clemson boasts several players who should hear their name called early in next year’s draft, like defensive linemen Peter Woods and T.J. Parker. The offensive line is seasoned and solid. Plus, Dabo Swinney added three transfers – gasp! – who buoy the two-deep. There’s plenty to like, plus a clear path to the playoff from the ACC.

That opener opponent LSU (20-1 odds) also made the 5-team list:

"Brian Kelly got LSU’s donor game squared away this offseason. It shows in the Tigers’ transfer class. Nobody secured a better portal haul than Kelly. That includes additions like defensive linemen Patrick Payton (Florida State) and Jack Pyburn (Florida) who should fortify a defense that’s sagged for years. Pair that with proven quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and a gifted wide receiver room, and it’s understandable why Kelly says this is his best LSU roster. A tough schedule plots land mines en route to the playoff, but on talent alone, LSU is better positioned to pursue a national title than it’s been in years."

The Tigers and Bayou Bengals kick off at 7:30 p.m. EDT on Aug. 30 in Death Valley (ABC TV broadcast).