Clemson will open the 2025 season carrying a fresh badge of respect as CBS Sports just placed the Tigers at No. 1 in its post‑spring ACC power rankings. The list, released after spring practice and the close of the transfer‑portal window, slots Miami at No. 2 and last year’s league runner‑up SMU at No. 3, with Louisville and Georgia Tech rounding out the top five.
CBS analyst Chip Patterson framed Clemson as both the league’s pacesetter and a legitimate national‑title threat. “This is the most anticipated season of Clemson football in five years,” he wrote. “The Tigers return an impressive collection of future pros from the squad that reclaimed the ACC crown in 2024. They’ll begin on top, but that status faces an immediate stress test when LSU comes to Death Valley for a Week 1 night game.”
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That Prime‑Time opener against LSU kicks off Aug. 30 at 7:30 p.m. on ABC. Clemson then hosts Troy on Sept. 6 before diving into its ACC slate.
If you sort Clemson’s eight conference opponents by CBS’ power‑ranking slots, the toughest stretch looks front‑loaded and back‑loaded. SMU (No. 3) headlines the home schedule, followed by Louisville (No. 4), Georgia Tech (No. 5) on the road, Duke (No. 6), Florida State (No. 7), North Carolina (No. 9), Syracuse (No. 12) and Boston College (No. 13). The Tigers travel to Atlanta for Georgia Tech on Sept. 13, welcome SMU on Oct. 18, host Duke and Florida State back‑to‑back on Nov. 1 and Nov. 8, and close ACC play with a Friday‑night visit to Louisville on Nov. 14. Syracuse, North Carolina and Boston College occupy the middle portion of the calendar.
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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Where Clemson landed in CBS Sports’ post-spring power rankings
