CBS Sports Predicts Clemson First 2025 Loss South Carolina Rivalry

Clemson Tigers enter the 2025 college football season with strong potential, returning a potent offense led by quarterback Cade Klubnik and a deep, experienced defense under new coordinator Tom Allen. Despite this strength, CBS Sports analyst Brad Crawford predicts Clemson will remain undefeated until their rivalry game against South Carolina in late November, where they could suffer their first loss of the season. Head coach Dabo Swinney optimistically projects Clemson as college football's first major 16-0 team, supported by a nationally top-ranked defensive line and a solid schedule featuring several challenging road trips. Virginia Tech, led by Brent Pry in his fourth year, faces questions about improvement after a 6-7 2024 season and is predicted to suffer an early loss against South Carolina in the season opener, a game noted for its significance given the Beamer family coaching ties. Meanwhile, the University of Virginia is expected to have one of the easiest schedules in the ACC, with CBS Sports forecasting their first loss could come early against NC State, highlighting the challenge of an away game against a strong opponent. These projections underscore the competitive landscape of ACC football, with Clemson favored to claim the conference championship and a high seed in the College Football Playoff despite potential setbacks late in the season.