(Photo Credit: ACC Media Portal)
Key Players Returning:
RB/KR Lyn-J Dixon, WR E.J. Williams, TE Braden Galloway, OG Matt Bockhorst, OG Will Putnam, K.J. Henry, DE Myles Murphy, DT Bryan Bresee, DT Tyler Davis, LB James Skalski, LB Trenton Simpson, LB Baylon Spector, CB Andrew Booth, FS Joseph Charleston, FS Nolan Turner, FS Tyler Venables, SS Lannden Zanders, KR Joseph Ngata, PK B.T. Potter, and PT Will Spiers.
Key Players Departing:
QB Trevor Lawrence, RB Travis Etienne, WR Cornell Powell, WR/PR Amari Rodgers, OC Cade Stewart, OT Chandler Reeves, OT Jackson Carman, CB Mike Jones, and CB Derion Kendrick.
Top 10 Recruits:
Blue Chip Recruits: OT Tristan Leigh (Fairfax, Virginia), RB Will Shipley (Matthews, North Carolina), and LB Barrett Carter (Suwanee, Georgia).
4 Star Recruits: LB Jeremiah Trotter (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), TE Jake Briningstool (Brentwood, Tennessee), WR Beaux Collins (Bellflower, California), DT Payton Page (Greensboro, North Carolina), DE Cade Denhoff (Lakeland, Florida), CB Nate Wiggins (Atlanta, Georgia), and OG Marcus Tate (Miami Gardens, Florida).
2020 Results:
G01 at Wake Forest W 37-13
G02 The Citadel W 49-0
G03 VIRGINIA W 41-23
G04 #7 MIAMI (FL) W 42-17
G05 at Georgia Tech W 73-7
G06 SYRACUSE W 47-21
G07 BOSTON COLLEGE W 34-28
G08 at #4 Notre Dame L 40-47
G09 PITTSBURGH W 52-17
G10 at Virginia Tech W 45-10
ACC vs. #2 Notre Dame W 34-10
PLA vs. #3 Ohio State L 28-49
Misc. Team Information:
2020 Record: 10-2 (ACC Champions)
Home: 6-0
Away: 3-1
Neutral: 2-1
ACC: 8-1
Non-AAC: 2-1
Head Coach: Dabo Swinney
Clemson: 140-33
Career: 140-33
Bowls: 10-7
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: D.J. Uiagalelei (78-117, 914 yards, 66.7%, 7.8 avg., 5 TD, 0 INT)
Rushing: Lyn-J Dixon (42 car., 190 yards, 4.5 avg., 2 TD)
Receiving: Braden Galloway (27 rec., 369 yards, 13.7 avg., 2 TD)
TDs Scored: Davis Allen/D.J. Ulagalelei (4)
Sacks: Baylon Spector (4.5)
Tackles: Baylon Spector (64)
Tackles For Loss: Myles Murphy/Baylon Spector (10.5)
Interceptions: Nolan Turner (3)
Pass Deflections: Andrew Booth (4)
Forced Fumbles: Myles Murphy (3)
Kick Returns: Lyn-J Dixon (9 ret., 210 yards, 23.3 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Will Swinney (1 ret., 9 yards, 9.0 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: B.T. Potter (18-23 fg/fga., 78%, 61-62 xp/xpa., 115 pts.)
Punting: Will Spiers (45 punts, 1979 yards, 44.0 avg., 17 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 5 D.J. Uiagalelei (SO)
RB: 23 Lyn-J Dixon (SR)
WR: 10 Joseph Ngata (JR)
WR: 6 E.J. Williams (SO)
WR: 8 Justyn Ross (RS JR)
TE: 88 Braden Galloway (SR)
LT: 71 Jordan McFadden (RS JR)
LG: 65 Matt Bockhorst (GR)
OC: 54 Mason Trotter (RS SO)
RG: 56 Will Putnam (JR)
RT: 64 Walker Parks (SO)
KR: 19 Michel Dukes (JR)
PK: 29 B.T. Potter (SR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 98 Myles Murphy (SO)
DT: 13 Tyler Davis (JR)
DT: 11 Bryan Bresee (SO)
DE: 35 Justin Foster (GR)
LB: 10 Baylon Spector (GR)
LB: 47 James Skalski (GR)
LB: 22 Trenton Simpson (SO)
CB: 23 Andrew Booth (JR)
CB: 2 Fred Davis (SO)
FS: 24 Nolan Turner (GR)
SS: 36 Lannden Zanders (JR)
PR: 19 Michel Dukes (JR)
PT: 48 Will Spiers (GR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: B
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: B
Punters: A
Schedule:
09/04 vs. Georgia Bulldogs | Clemson trails the series 18-42-4. The Tigers lost (21-45) the last meeting between teams in 2014.
09/11 SC STATE BULLDOGS | Clemson leads the series 4-0. The Tigers won (59-0) the last meeting between schools in 2016.
09/18 GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS | Clemson trails the series 33-51-2. The Tigers are 8-2 since 2011, and their last series loss (6-28) was in 2014.
09/25 at NC State Wolfpack | Clemson leads the series 59-28-1. The Tigers are 8-1 since 2011, and their last series loss (13-37) was in 2011.
10/02 BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES | Clemson leads the series 19-9-2. The Tigers are 10-0 since 2011, and their last series loss (10-16) was in 2010.
10/15 at Syracuse Orange | Clemson leads the series 7-2. The Tigers are 7-1 since renewing the series in 2013, and their last series loss (24-27) was in 2017.
10/23 at Pittsburgh Panthers | The series is tied 2-2. The Tigers are 2-1 since renewing the series in 2016, and their last series loss (42-43) was in 2016.
10/30 FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES | Clemson trails the series 13-20. The Tigers are 6-3 since 2011, and their last series loss (17-23 OT) was in 2014.
11/06 at Louisville Cardinals | Clemson leads the series 6-0. The Tigers have won each prior meeting, dating back to 2014, by an average of 22.8 points per game.
11/13 CONNECTICUT HUSKIES | First meeting between schools.
11/20 WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS | Clemson leads the series 68-17-1. The Tigers are 10-0 since 2011, and their last series loss (7-12) was in 2008.
11/27 at South Carolina Gamecocks | Clemson leads the series 71-42-4. The Tigers are 6-3 since 2011, and their last series loss (17-31) was in 2013.
Predictions:
Home: 5-1
Road: 2-3
Neutral: 0-1
AAC: 4-4
Non-AAC: 3-1
Overall: 7-5 (4th in ACC Atlantic)
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