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Clemson Just Can’t Put it Together

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports | By Shawn King | Last updated Sep 21, 2025 9:00 AM ET

Clemson just can’t seem to put things together as they suffer another loss, this time 34-21 to Syracuse. This was the Tigers’ second home loss of the season, a rarity for this program over the last decade. Dabo Swinney’s team is now 0-2 to start conference play, similar to the 2023 season. This is the head coach’s first 1-3 start overall in his tenure. This team seems unable to get anything going its way. From the start of the game, they were fighting off their back foot. Syracuse came out swinging, and Clemson had no response. This game was a perfect display of the disastrous start the Tigers have had to the 2025 season.

Clemson Suffers Loss to Syracuse

Disappointing Defense

The Clemson defense came into the season with expectations of being one of the best in the country under new defensive coordinator Tom Allen. Over the first four games of the season, the defense has been a disappointment, to say the least. Right now, the Tigers are outside of the top 50 in total defense. Against Syracuse, the unit gave up 433 total yards of offense. Clemson reverted to the bad habits of last season in the run game, allowing 98 rushing yards in the first quarter. Running backs Yasin Willis and Will Nixon finished with a combined 28 carries for 140 yards and a touchdown. Even when the Tigers began to stuff the run, though, they couldn’t stop the Orange passing game either. The Syracuse wide receivers beat the Clemson defenders in man coverage all afternoon. Justus Ross-Simmons caught two amazing touchdown passes. One from Steve Angeli and one from backup quarterback Rickie Collins after Angeli left the game due to an injury. Angeli was taken out of the game late in the second half, but had already done his damage. He threw for 244 yards and two touchdowns before exiting the game. This performance by the Tigers’ defense was the culmination of mediocre performances over the last two weeks. Many of the Clemson defensive stars are not meeting expectations. The most consistent players of the unit have been Will Heldt and Avieon Terrell. Their former four and five-star teammates need to step up and assist them at some point this season.

USA Today Sports

Not Enough Offense

Although it was not the most exhilarating performance, this was the best game the offense has played so far. Playing from behind the whole game did not help them much, though. Still, there was too much of a reliance on Cade Klubnik’s arm to save the game. Klubnik threw the ball 60 times, completing just 37 passes for 363 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. With how inconsistent Klubnik’s been to start the season, that is too many times for the ball to stay in his hands. His touchdown passes were great plays, and he made some good throws downfield. Klubnik was also inaccurate on many of his passes, though, missing throws he should have made. That inaccuracy is what caused his interception in the fourth quarter. Adam Randall continues to be an underutilized bright spot of the offense. Randall rushed the ball just 16 times for 130 yards. He averaged 8.1 yards per carry. The running back did touch the ball more throughout the game, with seven catches for 44 yards and a touchdown. His fumble also put the Tigers in a bad situation late in the game. Overall, though, he was the workhorse of the offense all afternoon.

What Can Clemson Do Now?

The bye week for Clemson is coming at the best time possible. The Tigers will get much-needed extended time to look things over and figure out where everything went wrong. The performance has not come close to matching the hype this team had entering the 2025 season. It’s surprising considering the amount of talent that is on the roster. Maybe some guys aren’t what we made them to be. Either that, or this staff is not living up to their expectations. They may just need to do a better job of evaluating the best way to use the talent presented. The most logical answer is likely a combination of both, but it’s something that needs to be addressed. Clemson’s championship hopes may have been crushed, but it can still finish the season with some pride. Main Photo: Ken Ruinard/GREENVILLE NEWS-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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