2019 Recap: It was another breeze for them in 2019. For the fifth straight season, the Clemson Tigers won their division, won the ACC conference title and were a playoff team once again. It’s incredible how Dabo Swinney has turned this program into a consistent contender. There were moments last season that made me wonder about them. Trevor Lawrence was turning the ball over far too much. But they still continued to win football games. They had to escape Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl, then fell short to the LSU Tigers in the title game snapping a 29-game winning streak. This would also be the first time Trevor has tasted defeat since becoming the starting quarterback.
Notable Losses: WR Tee Higgins, OT John Simpson, LB Isaiah Simmons, DB A.J. Terrell, S Tanner Muse, S K’Von Wallace.
2020 Prediction: This is the cream of the crop in the ACC. It’s them then everyone else looking up to them. Clemson will win this division once again. They’re such a strong team. The biggest win for them even before the season starts was the news that running back Travis Etienne was returning for his senior season. He will be a leader on this offense. If Lawrence can control the turnovers, this offense will be scary without question. As far as their defense, if defensive coordinator Brent Venables is controlling things, they will be just fine. I look for Xavier Thomas to take that next step as a leader on the defense.
