We are days away from Clemson football’s season opener at Duke, and the hype around this matchup continues to pick up steam.
The Blue Devils were one of the biggest shocks not only in the ACC but in all of college football in 2022. Starting quarterback Riley Leonard was one of the top players at the position, and first-year head coach Mike Elko was so impressive that he won 2022 ACC Coach of the Year.
In years past, Duke was more often than not an afterthought. With Elko at the helm and an improved roster, the Blue Devils are now one of the better teams in the ACC.
Clemson is in a different situation as a program that has an opportunity to return to form and reclaim their spot as one of the top teams in the country in 2023. The program itself remains élite; they just need to show it on the field.
A program on the rise vs. a program that has College Football Playoff aspirations is shaping up to be an excellent competition. According to USA TODAY Sports analyst Eddie Timanus, it is one of the top six games on the Week 1 slate.
Clemson jumps right into ACC competition in the Labor Day night special, and it might not be the walk in the park Tigers’ fans have come to expect when visiting Duke. The Blue Devils won nine games in Mike Elko’s first year at the helm and were within a field goal of winning three more. Granted there was no Clemson on the schedule, and the Tigers didn’t lose to anyone within the conference. Clemson’s offense is now in the hands of QB Cade Klubnik, and he’ll want to reestablish the explosiveness of the attack early on with help from WR Beaux Collins and RB Will Shipley. Duke QB Riley Leonard is also back, and he’ll be just as motivated to demonstrate that last year’s success was not a fluke. His equally battle-tested arsenal includes WR Jalon Calhoun and RB Jordan Waters.
A great breakdown of the matchup: this game is an opportunity for both programs to prove themselves. For Duke, it is just as Timnaus said, demonstrating that last year’s success was no fluke and Leonaed, along with the Blue Devils, are the real deal. For Clemson, it is about proving they can not only make changes when necessary but prove those changes to be successful.
All eyes will be on Cade Klubnik under center as we see the young quarterback’s first regular-season start and first start under Garrett Riley. Expectations are high for this matchup.