Clemson Tigers
Head coach: Dabo Swinney
2014 Record: 10-3; 6-2 ACC
2014 Bowl: 40-6 victory over Oklahoma at Russell Athletic Bowl
2015 Returning Starters: 4 offense, 2 defense
Odds to win 2016 CFB Championship: +3300
Odds to win 2015 ACC Title: +280
Regular Season Wins: Over 9 (-125), Under 9 (-105)
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Deshaun Watson at full health is one reason that this team can win the ACC title, and Dabo Sweeney kept it all in the house, replacing offensive coordinator Chad Morris (now head coach of SMU) with RB coach Tony Elliot and WR coach Jeff Scott.
How far this Clemson team goes really begins and ends with QB Deshaun Watson, who was just cleared for football after suffering an ACL injury during Clemsons 35-17 win over South Carolina in November. He had surgery to repair the knee but he has said “he feels stronger than ever in that leg,” according to QB coach Brandon Streeter.
Watson has been a bit injury prone, but the Tigers are hoping this is a season he can approach at full-health.
Watson threw for 1,466 yards last season with 14 TDs and 2 INTs, but he was out for nearly five games with the broken finger before the ACL injury. The Tigers averaged 30.8 points per game last year (51st in the nation), and were just 110th in red zone offense. Watson can create both via the pass and run, though, and he would improve these numbers greatly.
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Mike Williams and Artavis Scott combined for nearly 2,000 yards and 14 TDs last season, and Watson can hit them both in stride to get this offense going.
Germone Hooper is one to keep an eye on at WR too.
Wayne Gallman left spring as the No. 1 back, but there are talented freshman like Deon Cain and Ray-Ray McCloud who should be day one contributors in the attack. The OL returns just two starters, but there is a lot of depth. Four highly recruited OL are battling for two spots, so Clemson will have the protection for Gallman and company.
DeShaun Watson is mobile enough to take advantage of the protection to create some big plays, too, so the Tigers can be a formidable team offensively if the picture comes together.
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Defensively it would be expected that Clemson encounters problems, but this is Clemson, too. The Tigers lost eight starters including NFL draftees Vic Beasley and Stephone Anthony. The ‘D’ was ranked first nationally last year, but the Tigers do believe it can be nearly that good again.
Shaq Lawson had 7.5 sacks in two seasons and he’s going to assume Beasley’s role within the defense at end. D.J. Reader and Carlos Watkins bring adequate experience at T. Kevin Dodd is also solid at the other end, and he had a nice spring. B.J. Goodson returns at LB and he’s going to try to be vocal in guiding this team next season.
Ben Boulware and Korrin Wiggins round out the defense, and Wiggins should offer a lot of value in multiple roles within the nickel defense. At CB, Mackensie Alexander is a supreme talent and at S both Jayron Kearse and Jadar Johnson help form a very strong secondary for the Tigers. That’s a whole lot of talent to say it’s a problem, but the real measure will be in how it compares to last season’s squad, fair or not.
Ammon Lakip hit 75 percent FG last season and Andy Teasdall has only three career punts. Kickoff and punt return duties are up for grabs still, though the talented freshman on this squad are the ones most likely vying for the roles.
Dabo Swinney is expecting a lot from his offense this season. The ‘D’ will be good, but Clemson is relying on it to be as good as last season’s team and that might not be reasonable. The Nov. 7 game against FSU will likely decide the division title and the winner of that game will go into the ACC game as its favorite.
Watson keeps this team on the cusp, and it is the second-favorite on 5dimes to win the ACC behind Florida State. It’s also fair to expect Clemson to win 9 games. As to whether the Tigers defeat Florida State for the ACC crown, that’s tougher to discern. If all things go perfectly for Clemson, it is a better team than the Seminoles, mainly on the basis of Watson at his very best.
Prediction: 9 wins
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