Clemson Football: 5 bold predictions for October
By Dana Becker
3. The Tigers will continue to have the best “D” in the land
It is really hard to place any team over Alabama when talking about the best defensive unit in the country, but Clemson might just be gaining that spot after October is all said and done.
Through the first month of the season, the Tigers have made Auburn look like a team without a running game, Lamar Jackson look human and completely stuff everything Virginia Tech tried to do against them.
More from Clemson Tigers
- Clemson vs Duke: Odds, prediction, and how to watch
- One of these 3 teams will win the ACC football title in 2023
- 3 elite commitments in 2024 CFB recruiting class that could be flipped
- Top 5 commitments from past week in college football recruiting (July 17-23)
- The best college football game for each week in September
Remember, too, this is a unit that graduated several key players from last year who helped Clemson end the season of the Crimson Tide with a loss.
Only Louisville and Jackson were able to score over 20 points vs. the Tigers, and that took a late scoring drive and touchdown when the backups were playing for the Orange and White.
Clemson’s next three games will see them face a Wake Forest offense still learning, a pass-happy Syracuse attack and the ever-dangerous triple-option of Georgia Tech. But defensive coordinator Brent Venables has had little trouble with any of the three in the past, as they pitched a shutout vs. the Orange and have caused confusion for the Yellow Jackets and head coach Paul Johnson.
If the Tigers hold these three foes under 20 points, they will once again enter November with everyone discussing them and Alabama as the top dogs.