As the college football season draws closer, more money is pouring in at sportsbooks for who will make the college football playoffs and win the national championship.
Immediately after Ohio State won the trophy in January, those sportsbooks who posted the odds for the 2025-26 season had Clemson as the #8 choice at around 20-1. Fast forward to early June, and Clemson had moved up one notch to #7, but their odds had tumbled dramatically to 14-1.
With August approaching, the Tigers from South Carolina were up to #6 at books like Bet365 at 12-1. Why has Coach Dabo Swinney’s squad continued to keep rising and is considered a good bet to win a national championship? Let’s approach this from different angles to explain why this could occur.
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What Others Are Thinking
No opponent of Clemson this season will go on the record other than to praise Clemson. However, when digging up research material, there is ample verbiage about these Tigers if an assistant coach or scout can talk ‘off the record’.
Most gush about QB Cade Klubnik and the growth he had a year ago. He learned the value of – pocket presence – which made him a better decision-maker. Klubnik stopped running at the first sign of trouble and instead maneuvered in the pocket with his eyes down the field.
This brought the big passing play back to the Clemson offense. Klubnik learned that patience made receivers more open and generated a wider chasm to run when a play broke down.
Klubnik’s understanding of the passing tree (how routes are designed) gave him the confidence to throw receivers open, which helped move the chains.
Everyone expects Klubnik and Clemson to have a big senior year.
How Swinney’s Old-School Approach Is Working Again
After winning national championships in 2016 and 2018, and playing for titles in 2015 and 2019, Clemson started to slowly dip. Everything came to a head in 2023, as Dabo’s Tigers ended up 9-4 and only 4-4 in the ACC.
The talk was that Swinney was too stubborn and stuck in the past. College football was changing, and even he admitted he was resistant to change. Swinney’s no fan of the transfer portal, but believes in player development.
Clemson’s Talent Level Is Rising Again
But two things have changed about Swinney. Most importantly, Clemson’s recruiting has picked up after a lull for a few years. This shows up in the offensive line, wide receiver, and the secondary, all areas of recent weakness. The Tigers’ team speed should be considerably different from two seasons ago on defense.
Dabo has given in to particular outside influences, like spending money to keep players and bringing in big-time assistants. Giving defensive coordinator Tom Allen a three-year contract after he was fully established at Penn State is noteworthy.
It took Swinney maybe a bit longer to adjust, but make no mistake, Clemson football is back.
How Clemson Wins a National Championship Next January
To be crowned a college football champion, it starts with talent. If you research by position, Clemson is in the Top 12 at every spot but running back. Invariably, the Tigers find and develop players during the season at that key position, even if it’s not a strength at first.
The vast majority are Top 8 or higher, so talent is not a question, and they have the quarterback to cover up most flaws.
Though Dabo is sometimes cantankerous, he’s still an elite football coach, with his best coaching years coming when he knows he has a full, deep squad.
Early Challenges, But a Clear Path Remains
The opening matchup against LSU will be a major test. Even if Clemson were to lose, they are far from dead and can still come back to win the ACC and have all season to overcome a possible blemish.
Not to undersell the ACC, the Tigers are expected to have tough trips at Georgia Tech and Louisville, along with a home date with SMU. Nonetheless, they will be favored in each instance and cannot lose focus in the rivalry skirmish with South Carolina.
As far as the playoffs, it’s impossible to know the Tigers’ path or how injuries might affect this squad.
What we do know, before the season begins, is that Clemson has the talent, coach, and pedigree. The Tigers’ odds are fair at places like Bet365, and they offer more value than the five teams ahead of them, making Clemson a better strategic wager to consider.
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*The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool.
