Clemson Named CFB’s Biggest Disappointment: Can They Bounce Back?

After entering this season with National Championship expectations, the Clemson Tigers have fallen flat.

Despite returning over ten starters from a squad that appeared in the College Football Playoff less than a year ago, the Tigers are currently unranked after getting off to their worst start in 21 years. 

According to On3’s Chris Low, Clemson is currently the “biggest disappointment” in college football.

Through four games, Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik is already on pace to double his interception total from last season and currently ranks 12th among ACC quarterbacks in passing yards with just 996.

The Tigers’ defense hasn’t been much better. Once viewed as the team’s strong suit, they now rank among the top of the conference in yards allowed per game. 

Can the Tigers Bounce Back?

With two conference losses already under their belt, the Tigers have dug themselves a hole that will be incredibly difficult to climb out of. However, Clemson does still have six more games against ACC teams, and a lot can develop within that timeframe.

According to Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney, his coaching staff will have to step it up if they plan to turn their season around.

“From a big picture standpoint, it’s just been a coaching failure, honestly. I mean, that’s just the best way that I can say it. We have just failed as coaches,” Swinney said. “When players don’t play to their potential, to me, that’s coaches.”

The most puzzling aspect about this season is the fact that this core group of players have already proved that they can compete with some of the best teams in the country. After all, the Tigers are the returning ACC Championship and lost just one conference game last season.

Heading into this season, Klubnik was viewed as a potential No.1 pick in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, and players like T.J Parker, Peter Woods, Aveion Terrell and Antonio Williams were all projected to be first-round picks. 

While Woods and Terrell have held their own throughout the season, Klubnik, Parker and Williams have struggled to replicate their success from the 2024 season. 

Williams missed the beginning of the season due to a hamstring injury, but returned during Clemson’s most recent game against Syracuse to haul in five passes for 49 yards. As Klubnik’s top receiver from last season, it’s entirely possible that the Tigers offense sees a resurgence as the two rekindle their chemistry over time.

As first-year defensive coordinator Tom Allen grows more comfortable with his new group, expect the Tigers to lean on their defensive strengths rather than staying one-dimensional with constant Cover 2 man schemes.

It won’t be easy, but this team has both the talent and the experienced coaching needed to turn their season around.

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