Clemson

The heat is on at Clemson after a disappointing 7-5 campaign, with massive expectations and hot-seat speculation creating urgency for an ACC title push. The Tigers bring back a defense that grades out 24th nationally at +4.7 points per game — elite production anchored by a unit that must overcome moderate continuity concerns in the front seven. Chad Morris returns as offensive coordinator to fix an attack that lost key pieces including receiver Antonio Williams to the NFL Draft and tight end Josh Sapp to West Virginia, while adding SMU transfer running back Chris Johnson Jr. to provide backfield depth. The offense sits dead even at 0.0 rating, ranking 65th nationally, with quarterback competition uncertainty adding another layer of complexity to Morris's rebuild.

JP+ projects 6.6 wins for Clemson in a season where anything less than significant improvement could spell major changes. The gap between that projection and market expectations reflects the structural challenges facing this roster — a defense strong enough to keep games close but an offense that may struggle against quality opponents like LSU, Miami, and Florida State. Portal additions helped address secondary weaknesses that plagued last year's pass defense, but the Tigers lost 50 percent of their offensive production while adding back just 20.4 PPA through transfers. If the defense maintains its elite level and Morris quickly solves the offensive inconsistency, an ACC title run remains possible. If not, this could be remembered as the season that changed everything in Tigertown.