ESPN Declares Clemson a Bust Two Weeks In

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jeremy Lockett | Last updated Sep 8, 2025 5:00 AM ET

Clemson entered the 2025 season with preseason hype placing the Tigers among the nation’s elite, but two weeks in, doubts are mounting.

ESPN’s Bill Connelly didn’t hold back in his weekly evaluation, questioning whether Dabo Swinney’s program can live up to the billing.

“True or false: Clemson is going to be a bust this year? TRUE (even if definitions vary),” Connelly wrote for ESPN. He pointed out that expectations matter when it comes to judgment.

“When you’re a top-five team in the preseason polls, playing at merely a top-15 level could be considered bust-like. But we’ll have to wait until Clemson plays at a top-15 level to worry about that.”

Dabo Swinney’s Tigers Struggle Against Troy

The skepticism comes after Clemson’s sluggish 27-16 win over Troy, a game where the Tigers trailed 16-0 in the first half before finally showing signs of life.

Receiver Bryant Wesco Jr. was the bright spot, hauling in two touchdown catches to spark the comeback, but Connelly noted how unimpressive the overall performance was.

“Dabo Swinney’s Tigers weren’t anywhere close to that against Troy,” Connelly wrote, highlighting that Clemson only outgained the Trojans by a 316-301 margin and needed three turnovers to secure the victory.

Bryant Wesco Jr. Provides a Spark

Even the metrics paint a concerning picture. ESPN’s SP+ projections had Clemson as 19-point favorites, far lower than the 29-point Vegas line, but even that model still “overestimated them by more than a touchdown,” Connelly explained.

For a program that built its reputation on dominance in the College Football Playoff era, barely scraping by against a Group of Five opponent adds weight to the “bust” conversation.

While the defense showed improvement in the second half, Clemson’s struggles to establish control early raise questions about whether this team has the firepower to compete with the nation’s best. https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/46186770/true-false-week-2-college-football-season-arch-manning-oregon-clemson

Swinney has long thrived on proving critics wrong, but with the spotlight back on his Tigers, Week 3 may be less about style points and more about showing they belong in the national conversation.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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