A new year of Clemson athletics sits on the horizon, and with it, there are questions waiting to be answered.
What does Clemson football have with Christopher Vizzina behind center?
The biggest narrative on campus centers on the new Clemson signal-caller, Christopher Vizzina. Vizzina takes over for former three-year starter Cade Klubnik, who was recently drafted by the New York Jets.
Although a junior, Clemson fans have only had a sample of Vizzina, slinging for 317 yards and three touchdowns in his only start for the Tigers — a 35-24 loss to SMU. For some, the performance proves the Birmingham, Alabama, native can compete with the best, but for others, Garrett Riley’s narrow playbook in that game deflated the impressive performance.
Aside from the lone start, Vizzina exhibited flashes at Clemson’s spring game, showing off his strong arm and pinpoint accuracy. His 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame commanded the pocket and showed promise of what fans hope to see in the opening game against LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, this August.
With Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore back in the lineup, the Clemson passing game has the tools to be one of the more intimidating offenses in the country, if Vizzina can do the job. However, with nine players drafted, four of whom were offensive starters, the Tigers will have to rely on new faces.
Chad Morris will take over the play-calling responsibilities for Clemson once again, giving Vizzina a fresh playbook to work with. Change at the quarterback position is scary for any team, but Vizzina waited three years to write his story; now, he takes the pen.
Will Clemson soccer bounce back?
Just two seasons ago, in 2023, Clemson men’s soccer won its second national championship in three years, placing the team atop the soccer world as one of the most intimidating teams in the country.
In 2025, the team suffered its worst season in recent memory, finishing 8-6-3 and suffering a first-round exit in the ACC and NCAA tournaments — a far cry from a national championship team.
Head coach Mike Noonan hopes to respond in 2026 with some key players from last year’s team graduating: Nathan Richmond and Misei Yoshizawa, the second and third leading scorers, respectively.
The 2025 team did not struggle due to a lack of talent. The team’s ceiling was just as good as it had been in years prior and could compete with just about any team in the country. But they simply could not stop beating themselves down due to a lack of consistent play.
Like the teams in the past, the 2026 squad will be full of talent, but if they can’t solve their consistency issues, the struggles will repeat themselves.
Can Clemson basketball get over the hump?
Back-to-back first-round exits have left more to be desired for the Tigers on the hardwood.
The pair of first-round defeats followed the historic Elite Eight run in the 2023-24 season. PJ Hall and Joseph Girard led the Cinderella run, establishing Clemson basketball as a potential force to be acknowledged for the future.
The very next year, McNeese State proved to be Clemson’s kryptonite in a season where the Tigers set a program record for regular-season wins. The devastating upset marked the last game for Chase Hunter and Ian Schieffelin. The 2025-26 team looked reloaded to avenge the upset.
But they held the same fate in a loss to Iowa.
Now, Brad Brownell looks to break the curse in this next season, but the pressure grows hotter with the second first-round exit, as the new team fears the same fate. After all, people only remember that last game in March.
Brownell will look to lead his Tigers over the hump in 2026-27.
What’s next for Clemson gymnastics?
In 2023, the Tigers ventured onto new athletic horizons in their inaugural season of gymnastics. Since then, their rise has been meteoric.
This past season, the squad won its first ACC championship, a monumental accomplishment for a program so new in an elite conference.
However, the new season will be without a major contributor: Brie Clark. Clark emerged as one of the most talented gymnasts in the country and led Clemson from its first season, becoming the first Tiger gymnast to qualify for NCAA nationals and be an All-American.
With the loss of Clark, the Tigers will look to continue their success and hopefully bring another ACC title to Tigertown.
Who will dominate the Palmetto series?
No matter the final result of a season, winning against South Carolina makes or breaks a team’s success.
This past year, Clemson took home the South Carolina Education Lottery Palmetto Series, the historic rivalry against the University of South Carolina.
The winner is decided by the total points across matchups across men’s and women’s sports: baseball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, women’s cross country, football, men’s golf, women’s golf, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, softball, men’s tennis, women’s tennis and volleyball.
In the fall, the football matchup returns to Death Valley, a game circled, starred and underlined on everyone’s calendar. The rivalry never fails to disappoint.
Last year, despite the struggles throughout the season, the Tigers trounced the Gamecocks in Columbia, but in their last matchup in Death Valley, South Carolina edged out Clemson on a game-sealing interception during the game’s final drive. However, Clemson still had the last laugh, receiving a bid to the College Football Playoffs over its fellow state school.
No matter the season or the headlines, the intense rivalry always stands out to win something greater than a trophy: bragging rights.
The upcoming year presents itself as one full of question marks, but as each season comes and goes, hopefully, the questions turn to positive answers.
