The Clemson Tigers have been one of the most successful programs in college football over the past 15 years, but they've hit a bit of a speed bump recently. Last season marked the first time since the 2020 season that the Tigers were selected to the College Football Playoff, an appearance that ended in a disappointing first-round exit.
After several years of falling short of his national championship winning standards, though, head coach Dabo Swinney appears to finally have a roster capable of getting back to the mountain top this season.
Headlined by one of the nation's best quarterbacks in Cade Klubnik and an absolutely stacked supporting cast around him, the Tigers' 2025 roster looks a lot like the ones that helped bring home two national titles in three years.
College football analyst David Pollack also sees shades of those dominant late 2010's squads in this year's team as well, as he recently talked about on an episode of his "See Ball, Get Ball" podcast.
"I see the same things in this roster as I saw with Dabo's championship teams," Pollack said. "The trio of wide receivers. The quarterback position being solidified. I don't see an offensive line that is a bunch of hammers. That's not who they were then, either. But they are going to survive elsewhere. The defensive line is going to have a couple of first-round picks."
Returning players who had 40+ TDs last year
— The Main Line Podcast (@TheMainLinePod) May 5, 2025
John Mateer - 44
Cade Klubnik - 43 pic.twitter.com/qOOvcaXEuQ
Pollack isn't the only one high on the talent Clemson is bringing back for 2025. Just about every pre-season awards watchlist has Tigers sprinkled up and down it. Klubnik himself has also received a massive amount of buzz as potentially being the best quarterback in the country.
As Pollack said, Swinney has finally built a roster that can enable them to make a serious run at their first national championship since the 2018 season. If Klubnik and the rest of the Tigers are able to live up to their lofty expectations, then Clemson could be in for a very special season.
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