The AP Preseason Top 25 poll was unveiled on Monday, sparking a wave of reactions from the college football world.
On ESPN’s “Get Up,” college football analyst Heather Dinich expressed skepticism about Clemson’s high ranking (#14), labeling them as potentially the most overrated team in the country.
“Clemson, why all the hype around the Tigers? They suffered four conference losses last year, a tally that matches their combined total over the previous six seasons,” Dinich said.
“People keep telling me their defense is going to be great, their defense is always pretty good … But they’ve got to get a quarterback.
“Cade Klubnik is back, until we see offensive improvement, I don’t see why there should be so much love for the Clemson Tigers.”
Clemson’s 2023 campaign ended with a 9-4 record, which, while respectable for many programs, fell short of the Tigers’ usual standard of double-digit victories and national championship contention.
Notably, 2023 marked the first time since 2010 that Clemson failed to win ten or more games.
Despite the criticism, Dabo Swinney and the Tigers are determined to prove their doubters wrong this season.
The aforementioned Klubnik was solid in 2023 as he passed for 2,844 yards and 19 touchdowns against 9 interceptions.
He’s expected to take a significant step forward this season and he’s going to need to if the Tigers are going to make any noise in the CFB Playoff picture.
There’s plenty of youth on the Tigers, but one player to keep an eye on is freshman defensive back Ricardo Jones.
Swinney isn’t one to overly-praise young players, but he made sure to point out just how impressed he’s been with Jones.
“He’s a high-energy football player,” Swinney said on his young star. “You hear him, and you see him. He’s just one of those big personalities that loves to play football.
“The kid loves ball. You can’t break him. No matter how hot it is, it doesn’t matter how many gassers you run – he’s going to keep going. That’s just his mindset.
“He’s one of the more mentally tough kids we got, that I’ve seen as a young guy come in here. He is a mentally tough young player that loves to play the game.”
Swinney and the Tigers will be tested right off the bat when they kick-off the season against the #1 ranked Georgia Bulldogs in Atlanta.
What are your expectations for Clemson this season?
Do you agree with Dinich that the Tigers could be the most overrated team in the country? … Or is she being way too harsh on Dabo and the boys???