The Clemson Tigers have received a tough prediction amid questions about just what the team will look like in 2026.
The Clemson Tigers were supposed to be one of the best teams in college football last season. Instead, they went just 7-6 and lost to a beleaguered Penn State team in the Pinstripe Bowl.
Will Clemson rebound with a better year in 2026?
Given that the Tigers have lost a ton of their best players to the NFL Draft — and the transfer portal — this offseason, it's hard to say.
Dabo Swinney's club is a mystery heading into next fall, and it is already landing some pretty tough predictions.
Brad Crawford of CBS Sports recently made his picks for some Week 1 games, and among the matchups he chose was Clemson vs. LSU.
The Tigers faced off against, well, the Tigers in the season opener last season, as well, and LSU came away with the victory.
Crawford envisions a similar result this time around, although he doesn't even think it will be as close.
Clemson Tigers coach Dabo Swinney. Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images."Clemson hasn't won a College Football Playoff game since 2019 and has lost three straight season openers. Spoiling [Lane] Kiffin's debut at Tiger Stadium is going to be a challenge as a double-digit underdog, the largest spread against Clemson since Georgia (12.5 points) to open the 2024 campaign. Prediction: LSU 31, Clemson 17," Crawford wrote.
LSU is definitely expected to be much improved with Kiffin at the helm, and the game will be played in Baton Rouge.
It will certainly be a difficult matchup for Clemson, which just experienced its worst season since going 6-7 in 2010. That was Swinney's second full season as head coach.
Clemson certainly has some intriguing talent, particularly at the wide receiver position where it is returning T.J. Moore and Bryant Wesco and is also prepared to feature three four-star recruits in Naeem Burroughs, Connor Salmin and Gordon Sellars.
However, the Tigers have a major question at quarterback, and they have lost a plethora of star defensive players.
Some have even wondered if Swinney is on the hot seat entering 2026 given how much Clemson has faded in recent years.
If the Tigers are able to upset LSU in their opener, however, it could signify that brighter days are on the horizon for Clemson.
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