Following the No. 21 Clemson Tigers’ 1-1 non-conference start to the season, Dabo Swinney’s squad now looks at its early slate of ACC opponents. The Tigers will face familiar foes this with rival teams like the NC State Wolfpack and Florida State Seminoles on the schedule, in addition to one of the newest ACC additions, Stanford. Below is a way-too-early look into Clemson’s ACC opponents this half:
North Carolina State:
The Wolfpack and the Tigers have been two of the more successful ACC teams in recent years and inevitably formed a bit of a rivalry in that time, highlighted by a top-10 College Gameday matchup two years ago.
However, both teams have struggled at the beginning of the season as each currently tout a 1-1 record defined by blowout losses to SEC opponents. The key difference is that the Tigers will look to start their ACC campaign 1-0 when they face the Wolfpack, leaving them at 0-1.
The biggest disparity between the two teams is the use of the transfer portal. NC State brought in starters at several critical positions — running back, quarterback, and wide receiver — while Clemson infamously stayed clear of the portal. Although the Wolfpack brought in these transfers to help the passing game, they have still struggled to generate offense in the air.
Quarterback Grayson McCall, from Coastal Carolina, has passed for 476 yards, 318 of those being against an FCS opponent, along with three touchdowns and two interceptions in two games.
Clemson is notorious for its strong defensive play and will look to create chances for the offense by forcing turnovers against the Wolfpack, who already have four. As the Tigers enter the game with a red-hot offense, impressive defense, and the entire fanbase behind them, fans could be in store for a classic matchup against the Wolfpack.
Stanford:
The Stanford Cardinal is one of the new additions to the ACC this season and will look to make themselves known in the team’s first season in the conference. There is no better way for them to do this than to beat the conference’s most dominant team from the past decade.
Stanford, a team riddled with historical success in college football with two national titles to show, has only faced Clemson one time in both team’s long histories. This matchup ended in a 27-21 victory for the Tigers in the 1986 Gator Bowl.
Despite their strong history in the NCAA, Stanford joins the ACC following an underwhelming year where the team ended 3-9 and next-to-last place in the Pac-12. The team sits at 1-1 following a 34-27 loss to TCU and a 41-7 win over Cal Poly. The Cardinal have been spearheaded by quarterback Ashton Daniels, who leads the team in both passing and rushing yards this season, with 384 and 118, respectively.
Florida State:
Following Stanford, Clemson will travel to Florida State to face the reigning ACC Champions. After a successful 13-1 2023 campaign, the Seminoles have had a rough start in 2024. They currently sit at 0-3, with two losses coming to ACC opponents.
Clemson has faced Florida State 36 times, yet this season’s game will likely be one of the most heated in recent memory. The Seminoles’ starting quarterback is a familiar face in senior DJ Uiagalelei, who held the same position at Clemson two short years ago. In fact, the last time the Tigers traveled to Tallahassee, Uiagalelei was under center.
Uiagalelei struggled against Georgia Tech, Boston College and Memphis, throwing for one touchdown and two interceptions in his first three games. He has also been sacked eight times as his offensive line collapses around him.
With Florida State being one of Clemson’s most prominent rivals, the Tigers will look to avenge their overtime loss from last season in Tallahassee against their former quarterback.
Wake Forest:
The Demon Deacons are off to a 1-2 start this season following a 40-6 loss to No. 5 Ole Miss. Clemson has struggled against Wake Forest recently, with the last two wins for the Tigers coming by less than one score. However, the Tigers are currently on a 15-game win streak, which they are eager to continue.
Although the team has not had a perfect start, the Demon Deacons have had phenomenal play from quarterback Hank Bachmeier, with 905 yards and four touchdowns through three games. This, paired with running back Demond Claiborne’s 241 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns, has allowed Wake Forest to have tremendous offensive success, which it will look to continue when it hosts the Tigers.
With the winner of the ACC receiving an automatic bid to the College Football Playoff, Clemson will need to showcase its talent in each of its ACC games this season and prove why the Tigers have been one of the most successful teams of the playoff era and how they can continue to compete in the NIL era.
