Clemson football: Updated game-by-game predictions for 2020
Clemson (S.C.). Virginia Cavaliers. 3. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 888. Oct. 3
In a rematch of last year’s ACC championship, Virginia will face Clemson in the regular season since 2013, when the Tigers won in a blowout 59-10. Virginia will be losing a lot of key pieces from last year’s squad, including versatile quarterback Bryce Perkins and cornerback Bryce Hall.
The Cavaliers recently announced that last year’s backup, Brennan Armstrong will be the man under center for 2020 and he has only slight experience to say the least.
Bronco Mendenhall has done an admirable job in rebuilding the Virginia football program. He inherited a bit of a mess from the previous coach Mike London, but he has transformer them into a physical football team with an identity similar to his former teams that he coached at BYU.
Virginia will find a way to win games with so many key players missing, but this won’t be one of them. Clemson wins easily.
Final Score: Clemson 49, Virginia 17 (3-0, 2-0)
Oct. 10. 4. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 834. Clemson (S.C.). Miami Hurricanes
In what will be one of Clemson’s added on games due to the conference only schedule, this will be a clash between two teams that most would say are the two most talented teams in the conference. Clemson has dominated Miami in their last two meetings, winning 38-3 in the 2017 ACC championship and more infamously, the 58-0 beatdown in 2015 that cost Hurricanes coach Al Golden his job the very next day.
Miami is coming off of a disappointing 6-7 season a year ago and will be without their top defensive player and pass rusher Gregory Rousseau, who decided to opt out and enter the NFL draft. However, there is some optimism around the program because there is internal belief that the Hurricanes have fixed the two issues that have plagued the program for years, the offensive coordinator and quarterback positions.
Miami is better equipped to face Clemson than in recent years and are the only team in the conference to have players and athletes on the same level as the Tigers. One of the big differences between the teams is the depth and top tier talent that Clemson possess. Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne are the two best players on the field and will send Miami back to South Beach with their first loss.
Final Score: Clemson 42, Miami 24 (4-0, 3-0)