Clemson football: Undefeated 2020 season a near-lock for Tigers

How will Clemson football fare in 2020?

Fans of the sport expect huge things from the Tigers as they are the favorites to win the ACC and go to the College Football Playoff once again. They will have a huge target on their backs once again due to their continuation as an elite program. Look for the Tigers to attempt to make a statement each as their opponents will do the same every week.

Here is the breakdown of the schedule in 2020:

• Game 1: at Wake Forest (W) – Clemson will start the season on the road against a bowl contending Demon Deacons team.
• Game 2: vs. The Citadel (W) – Whatever problems the Tigers encounter in Week 1, much like last year, they can assert those problems in this non-conference game.
• Game 3: vs. Virginia (W) – After a nine-win season last year, the Cavaliers are expected to decline in win production due to the talent lost during the offseason.
• Game 4: vs. Miami (W) – The Tigers will have their third home game in a row against a Hurricanes team looking to a more significant threat in the Coastal Division.
• Game 5: at Georgia Tech (W) – Lawrence struggled in his first game of the 2019 season against Georgia Tech and looks to make sure he makes up for it in this game.
• Game 6: vs. Syracuse (W) – The Orange went from a 10-3 team in 2018 to a 5-7 this past season as they slowly look to get back to that level.
• Game 7: vs. Boston College (W) – The Tigers will look fix their minor problems against an Eagles defense that was ranked 125th in the nation in total yards allowed per game (478.7).
• Game 8: at No. 10 Notre Dame (W) – With some of the biggest games canceled due to COVID-19, this unorthodox conference game will be one of the biggest games of the year.
• Game 9: at Florida State (W) – In a potential trap game, the Tigers look to capitalize against one of the more prolific conference rivals in the Seminoles.
• Game 10: vs. Pittsburgh (W) – The Tigers have a tough opponent in-between two tough road matchups for the Tigers which could spell trouble for them.
• Game 11: at Virginia Tech (W) – Virginia Tech returns 19 total starters on a very experienced and successful team that can compete with Clemson.

Projection: 11-0, 10-0 ACC

The Tigers are expected to finish 2020 with their third consecutive undefeated regular season. The Tigers are one of the most well-balanced and talented teams in the entire nation. They will have to avoid a season that will get more difficult as the season rolls along.

The road trips to Notre Dame, Florida State, and Virginia Tech will be difficult games for the Tigers.

Lawrence will be the most relied upon offensive player for the Tigers due to the image that surrounds him as well as the plays he brings. He is talented enough to help a productive passing game even with some key losses in Justyn Ross and Tee Higgins.

Travis Etienne will be the other star of the Tigers’ high-powered offense as he creates strength and diversity to Clemson. While on the paper, the offensive line looks to be a problem with four new starters coming into the season, they are confident their experience as reserves will help transition as starters.

Defensively, the Tigers are looking to be one of the top units once again. The front-seven will be the key to their success against the potential high-power offenses in the ACC. Their defensive line will still be elite even without the sudden loss of defensive end of Xavier Thomas. Look for players like Tyler Davis, Justin Foster and James Skalski to be the leaders of a high-power defense.

There will be some new starters like K.J. Henry and Nolan Turner that could potentially create some tremendous impact in their defense.