Last Saturday, Clemson football undoubtedly put together its most complete performance of the 2025 season in a blowout win over UNC.
Now sitting at 2-3, both programs have the same record on paper, yet they appear to be trending in opposite directions.
For Clemson, this game was a breath of fresh air. Quarterback Cade Klubnik finally returned to his former self, playing like the Heisman candidate many thought him to be in the preseason.
Just as Klubnik returned to form, so did Clemson’s defense. The Tar Heels struggled to move the ball throughout the game, scoring a mere 10 points — the least amount of points the Tigers have given up all season.
This game was supposed to be a heavyweight fight between two coaching juggernauts. Instead, it was utter domination.
This team is the Clemson that was expected coming into the year, and for Tiger fans, it’s a refreshing victory after weeks of subpar play. For the Tar Heels, however, things appear to have gone from bad to worse for their football program.
Struggles were anticipated for first-year UNC head coach Bill Belichick. Although he’s one of the greatest NFL coaches of all time, coaching in the college ranks is not an easy transition.
With that being said, it’s not out of the cards to say that nobody anticipated that UNC’s struggles would be of this magnitude.
Now at 2-3 on the year after three blowout losses, with their only wins coming against FCS-opponent Richmond and a 1-4 Charlotte team, it appears the Tar Heels are in for a long season.
Understanding the current state of UNC’s football program, does this mean Clemson’s dominant win was a fluke? Or is it a hint towards a seasonal resurgence?
The short answer is: we don’t know. Yes, UNC is off to a rough start, but Clemson was the Tar Heels’ first conference game of the year, and they’ve got the entirety of conference play to tune things up.
No ACC team, no matter how bad Clemson seems, wants the Tigers as their first conference opponent. For the Tar Heels, they just got the short end of the stick.
As for Clemson, this was the sort of performance that was expected every week coming into the year. Yes, North Carolina is not exactly a quality opponent, but considering the Tigers struggled against a mediocre Group of Five Troy squad earlier in the year, the result of this game looks very promising.
Ultimately, Clemson still has a chance to prove its legitimacy. Although an ACC Championship and College Football Playoff berth seem practically impossible, the Tigers still have a lot to play for to end the year.
With an ACC Championship rematch against SMU in two weeks, combined with Florida State, Louisville and, of course, South Carolina in November, whether or not Clemson’s win against North Carolina was a seasonal turning point or a fluke will reveal itself.
