The 2023 season is fast approaching, with the first AP Top 25 Poll for the 2023 season recently revealed.
In the first release of the rankings, Clemson landed at No.9, the second highest ranked ACC team behind Florida State, who ranked No.8. A strong ranking for the Tigers, they are coming off a season where they experienced some success but fell short in some big moments.
Finishing the 2022 season 11-3 (9-0 ACC), Clemson finished last season with a No.13 ranking in the final AP Poll following a 31-14 Orange Bowl loss to the Tennessee Volunteers. Clemson looked impressive in their 39-10 ACC Championship win over UNC but failed to translate that success into the Orange Bowl.
The Tigers will look to put together a complete season in 2023, and that all starts in September with their opener against Duke on Labor Day. ESPN recently broke down AP college football poll reactions and what we can expect from each top 25 team in September. Here is what they had to say about the Tigers.
We have talked endlessly about the hire of offensive coordinator Garrett Riley and what he will do for the offense. We will know plenty more about his impact through September — especially since the Tigers play ACC rival Florida State on Sept. 23. Clemson has won seven straight over the Seminoles, but this will be a deeper, more veteran team that believes it can win at Clemson. Winning this game will be crucial to the Tigers’ early CFP hopes, especially since there are those critics who believe Clemson might not be as dominant as it once was because the offense has taken a step back over the past two years. What people most want to see out of Riley and the offense is a step forward for quarterback Cade Klubnik. Clemson has struggled for consistency at the quarterback position over the past two years and has missed the CFP both those seasons. That is no coincidence. In addition to Klubnik, the Clemson receivers have to step up, too, not only as reliable pass-catchers but as players who can stretch the field. — Andrea Adelson
The 2023 season has the potential to be a special one for Dabo Swinney and the Tigers as they look to return to the College Football Playoff and prove to everyone that Clemson remains among the elite programs in CFB.
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