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Complete list of experts’ bowl projections for Clemson football entering Week 13

A look at the experts’ latest bowl game projections for Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers.

Entering Week 13 of the 2024 college football season, it can be somewhat hard to project where Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers will spend bowl season in December/January.

On the one hand, Clemson (up to No. 17 in the latest CFP rankings) still has a chance, however slim, to reach the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte on Dec. 7. Doing so would guarantee the Tigers of at least a shot at reaching the College Football Playoff.

And if the Tigers win the ACC title game and get to 11-2 overall, they’d get a first-round bye and play in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta against the winner of the No. 6 vs. No. 11 seed game.

More realistically? The Miami Hurricanes and SMU Mustangs, the two teams on course to get to Charlotte, probably aren’t losing their final regular season games in conference play.

Cam Ward and the Hurricanes close out the year with a home game against Wake Forest this Saturday before hitting the road to play Syracuse, while Rhett Lashlee’s Mustangs have conference games against Virginia and California to close the regular season.

Heading into Week 13, here’s what national college football writers and others in the sport’s media universe are saying about Clemson’s bowl game projections — and which teams they might face.

Clemson Football’s Latest Bowl Projections

Pop-Tarts Bowl (Orlando, Fla., Dec. 28)

USA TODAY Sports analyst Erick Smith sees the Tigers making a trip to Orlando to play in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. The only difference in Smith’s projection from last week is who the Tigers will face. With the BYU Cougars falling 17-13 to the Kansas Jayhawks in Week 12, BYU replaces Iowa State as Smith’s Big 12 representative.

This matchup would be a first, as Clemson and BYU have never met on the football field. The Pop-Tarts Bowl has been known by several names, the longest being the Champs Sports Bowl (2004-11). Some fans will recall its original name — the Blockbuster Bowl (1990-93).

Duke’s Mayo Bowl (Charlotte, N.C., Jan. 3, 2025)

CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm still sees Clemson in a bowl that’s a lot closer to the Upstate: the Duke’s Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium to kick off 2025. Palm has the Tigers facing the Big Ten’s Minnesota Golden Gophers. Minnesota sits at 6-4 and has upset wins over the USC Trojans and Illinois Fighting Illini this season.

The Tigers and Gophers have met once before — in the 1985 Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La., a 20-13 Minnesota win.

The Sporting News’ Bill Bender agrees with the Duke’s Mayo Bowl projection and has Clemson in that game against Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa Hawkeyes. As with Minnesota, Clemson and Iowa have never met in a head-to-head contest.

Holiday Bowl (San Diego, Calif., Dec. 27)

This has been a pretty common bowl game projection for the Tigers since their stunning 33-21 loss to Louisville on Nov. 2.

ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura has Clemson in the Holiday Bowl against Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes. Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter and the Buffaloes still have a path to the College Football Playoff (as do the Tigers, no matter how narrow), so this projection could change for both teams in the coming weeks.

247Sports’ Brad Crawford also forecasts a West Coast trip for Cade Klubnik and the Tigers in a Holiday Bowl matchup against Coach Prime and Colorado. The same goes for The Athletic’s Stewart Mandel and Scott Dochterman (subscription required), who see Clemson taking on the Washington Huskies.

Crawford said of the Tigers:

“Clemson’s comeback win at Pitt kept Clemson alive in the ACC race, but this looks like Miami or SMU’s league to win. Arizona State’s upset of Kansas State means the Sun Devils are streaking and have a chance to really toss a wrench in the Big 12 picture the rest of the way.”

Veteran college football reporter Brett McMurphy also sees Clemson in the Holiday Bowl, only against Arizona State.

ReliaQuest Bowl (Tampa, Fla., Dec. 31)

Sports Illustrated’s Patrick Andres sees Clemson in the Sunshine State on New Year’s Eve in the game formerly known as the Outback Bowl. Andres forecasts Clemson to be playing an SEC team in Tampa: Diego Pavia and the Vanderbilt Commodores.

Interestingly, Clemson and Vanderbilt have met four times previously, but none have been in the past 60-plus years. The two programs last played in 1960, a 22-20 Commodores win in Nashville. Vanderbilt leads the all-time series vs. the Tigers, 3-1.

Clemson has played in this bowl only once before, on New Year’s Day 1991 when it was called the Hall of Fame Bowl. In that game, coach Ken Hatfield’s Tigers blanked Illinois, 30-0, in a nationally televised contest on NBC to finish the season 10-2 overall and No. 9 in the final Coaches Poll.

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Where Clemson ranks in new US LBM Coaches Poll after last-minute win at Pitt

Here’s where the Clemson Tigers are ranked in the new US LBM Coaches Poll after their late rally against Pitt.

The Clemson Tigers survived an upset scare on Saturday against the Pitt Panthers at Acrisure Stadium to keep their ACC championship hopes alive with two games left in the regular season.

Unfortunately, the fact that the Tigers (8-2 overall, 7-1 ACC) needed a late 50-yard touchdown run by Cade Klubnik for a last-minute 24-20 victory didn’t impress many pollsters. Clemson stayed at No. 16 in the new US LBM Coaches Poll, released Sunday.

The Tigers are ranked one spot below No. 15 BYU (9-1), which lost its first game of the season in a 17-13 upset home loss to Kansas on Saturday. Dabo Swinney’s team is ranked one spot ahead of No. 17 Army (9-0), which has already clinched a berth in the AAC Championship Game.

As for the top 5-10, the Oregon Ducks (11-0) remained No. 1 for the fifth straight week after surviving a close call against Wisconsin at Camp Randall. Ohio State (9-1) stayed at No. 2 after beating Northwestern, 31-7, in a game played at Wrigley Field.

The Texas Longhorns (9-1) stayed at No. 3 after their 20-10 win over Arkansas. Penn State (9-1) rose to No. 4 after Tennessee’s 31-17 loss to Georgia, and the Indiana Hoosiers (No. 5, 10-0) moved into the top five of the Coaches Poll for the first time this season.

Miami (9-1) remained the ACC’s highest-ranked team and rounded out the top 10. SMU (9-1) rose one spot to No. 12. Clemson needs either a Miami loss to Wake Forest or Syracuse in the Hurricanes’ final two regular season games, or an SMU loss to Virginia or Cal in order for the Tigers to reach the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte.

The Tigers moved up three spots to No. 20 in last week’s College Football Playoff rankings, one spot ahead of rival South Carolina. LaNorris Sellers and the Gamecocks improved to 7-3 on Saturday and climbed four spots to No. 19 in this week’s Coaches Poll.

Clemson hosts South Carolina in Death Valley on Nov. 30, a week after the Tigers face The Citadel in Week 13. Kickoff for Clemson vs. The Citadel this Saturday is set for 3:30 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on The CW network.

Full Week 12 US LBM Coaches Poll

Rank	Team	Record	Points
1	Oregon Ducks	11-0	1,375 (55)
2	Ohio State Buckeyes	9-1	1,316
3	Texas Longhorns	9-1	1,263
4	Penn State Nittany Lions	9-1	1,158
5	Indiana Hoosiers	10-0	1,109
6	Notre Dame Fighting Irish	9-1	1096
7	Alabama Crimson Tide	8-2	996
8	Georgia Bulldogs	8-2	993
9	Ole Miss Rebels	8-2	984
10	Miami Hurricanes	9-1	847
11	Tennessee Volunteers	8-2	823
12	SMU Mustangs	9-1	744
13	Boise State Broncos	9-1	714
14	Texas A&M Aggies	8-2	646
15	BYU Cougars	9-1	633
16	Clemson Tigers	8-2	569
17	Army Black Knights	9-0	509
18	Colorado Buffaloes	8-2	464
19	South Carolina Gamecocks	7-3	379
20	Tulane Green Wave	9-2	280
21	Iowa State Cyclones	8-2	268
22	Arizona State Sun Devils	8-2	251
23	UNLV Rebels	8-2	93
24	Memphis Tigers	9-2	77
25	Kansas State Wildcats	7-3	67

Schools Dropped Out

No. 18 Washington State; No. 21 Missouri; No. 22 LSU; No. 24 Louisville;

Others Receiving Votes

Washington State 65; Illinois 56; Missouri 44; Syracuse 18; James Madison 11; Duke 9; Pittsburgh 7; Louisiana 5; Louisville 2; Vanderbilt 1; Sam Houston 1; LSU 1; Colorado State 1;

Best Photos: Clemson football keeps season alive with late Week 12 rally at Pitt

View the best images from Clemson’s thrilling 24-20 late road win over PItt.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers survived a would-be second-half collapse and rallied late for a 24-20 victory over the Pitt Panthers Saturday at Acrisure Stadium, formerly Heinz Field.

Clemson (8-2, 7-1) had coughed up a 17-7 halftime lead and trailed 20-17 after Ben Sauls’ 47-yard field goal put Pitt ahead for the first time all afternoon with 1:36 to play in the game.

That’s when Cade Klubnik gashed the Panthers. After Clemson took over at its 25 on the next series, Klubnik hit Antonio Williams for 18 yards and a first down to the 43, then found tight end Jake Briningstool for seven more to put the Tigers at midfield.

Klubnik then dropped back, called his own number, veered right and went the distance for a 50-yard touchdown run that gave Clemson the lead with 1:16 left. The Tigers’ quarterback drove/wheeled his team 75 yards on three plays that took only 20 seconds.

Pitt backup quarterback Nate Yarnell drove the Panthers (7-3) to the Clemson 26-yard line before Khalil Barnes made a game-ending interception near the goal line to seal the victory and keep the Tigers’ College Football Playoff hopes alive.

Clemson needs the ACC leading SMU Mustangs (9-1, 6-0) to drop its final two games or the Miami Hurricanes (9-1, 5-1) to lose to either Wake Forest or Syracuse for the Tigers to get to the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte on Dec. 7.

Here are some of the best photos from Clemson’s thrilling 24-20 Week 12 victory over the Pitt Panthers.

USA TODAY Sports experts’ predictions for must-win Clemson-Pitt showdown

Here’s who USA TODAY Sports experts think will win Saturday’s ACC showdown between No. 16 Clemson and Pitt.

After getting back in the win column with a 24-14 victory over the Virginia Tech Hokies, Cade Klubnik and the Clemson Tigers will look to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive when they head to Pittsburgh to face Pat Narduzzi and the Pitt Panthers.

The Tigers (7-2) got three second-half touchdown passes from Cade Klubnik and scored 24 straight points against Virginia Tech after being held scoreless in the first half. Dabo Swinney’s team will hope for a better start against the Pittsburgh defense.

Panthers quarterback Eli Holstein left his team’s 24-19 loss to Virginia last week with an apparent head injury and is reportedly questionable for Saturday’s game against the Tigers.

Clemson moved up one spot to No. 16 in this week’s US LBM Coaches Poll. In the updated College Football Playoff Rankings released Tuesday, Clemson rose three spots to No. 20.

Pitt (7-2) is coming off back-to-back losses to ACC leader SMU in Week 10 and to Tony Elliott’s Virginia Cavaliers last Saturday.

On Thursday, the six-member panel of Dan Wolken, Paul Myerberg, Eddie Timanus, Scooby Axson, Jordan Mendoza and Erick Smith all predicted the Tigers to win Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh in the group’s weekly Top 25 college football predictions.

Kickoff for Saturday’s Clemson-Pitt game is set for noon ET. The game will be televised on ESPN.

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Experts latest bowl game projections for Clemson football sees common setting

Take a look at where college football experts see Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers spending bowl season.

Dabo Swinney and the No. 16 Clemson Tigers still have hopes of getting into the 12-team College Football Playoff.

The Tigers will need some help to do that, but they got some on Saturday when Georgia Tech knocked off the previously unbeaten Miami Hurricanes, 28-23, in Atlanta.

Even with Miami’s loss, Clemson is still on the outside looking in with both the Hurricanes and SMU blocking the Tigers’ path to the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte on Dec. 7. Clemson moved up three spots to No. 20 in this week’s College Football Playoff rankings.

SMU (8-1 overall) leads the ACC standings race at 5-0 in conference play. Miami (9-1, 5-1) trails Clemson (7-2, 6-1) by a half-game in the standings but has two ACC games remaining. Clemson has just one.

Of course, the biggest thing the Tigers can do is take care of business themselves. They did that in the second half against Virginia Tech last week, scoring 24 straight points behind quarterback Cade Klubnik and the Tigers’ defense for a 24-14 win in Blacksburg.

Clemson travels to Pitt Saturday to take on Pat Narduzzi’s Panthers (7-2). Kickoff is set for noon ET. The game can be seen on ESPN.

Entering Week 12, here’s what national college football writers and others in the sport’s media universe are saying about Clemson’s bowl game projections — and who they might face.

Common bowl game projection emerges for Clemson football

247Sports’ Brad Crawford forecasts a West Coast trip for the Tigers. Crawford sees Dabo Swinney’s team out in San Diego to play in the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 27 against Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes.

Clemson has never played in the Holiday Bowl before and has only played a postseason game in the state of California once: in the 2019 College Football Playoff Championship win over Alabama.

Crawford said of a potential Clemson vs. Colorado matchup:

“This would undoubtedly be one of bowl season’s most-watched games outside of the playoff. However, the likelihood of every star playing for both teams is slim.”

Crawford isn’t the only one who sees Clemson playing in the Holiday Bowl if the Tigers don’t find their way into the ACC Championship Game. ESPN’s Mark Schabach (subscription required) also has the Tigers in the Holiday Bowl against “Coach Prime” and Colorado.

Writing for The Athletic ($), Stewart Mandel and Scott Dochterman see the Tigers in San Diego against the Washington Huskies.

Veteran college football reporter Brett McMurphy sees Clemson in the Holiday Bowl, as well, against one of the surprise teams in the Big 12 this year: first-year conference member Arizona State.

From Florida to Charlotte, more bowl projections for Clemson Tigers

USA TODAY Sports analyst Erick Smith sees the Tigers making a trip to Orlando for bowl season to play the Iowa State Cyclones in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Dec. 28. The bowl has been known by several names, the longest being the Champs Sports Bowl (2004-11). Many fans will recall its first name — the Blockbuster Bowl (1990-93).

Clemson last played in this game in 2021 when it was known as the Cheez-It Bowl. The Tigers beat Iowa State, 20-13.

Over at CBS Sports, Jerry Palm sees Clemson in a bowl that’s a lot closer to home: the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte on Jan. 3, 2025. Palm has the Tigers facing the Minnesota Golden Gophers from the Big Ten.

The Sporting News’ Bill Bender agrees with the Duke’s Mayo Bowl projection and currently has Clemson in that game, as well. Only in Bender’s new bowl game forecast, he has the Tigers squaring off against Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Sports Illustrated released its updated bowl projections on Wednesday. They also see Clemson playing Iowa — in the ReliaQuest Bowl on New Year’s Eve in Tampa. The game was previously known as the Outback Bowl from 1996-2022.

Lastly, ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura projects Clemson to make a return trip to a bowl game they’ve played in more times than any other in program history, including last season: the Gator Bowl on Jan. 2 against Diego Pavia and the Vanderbilt Commodores.

Clemson defeated the Kentucky Wildcats, 38-35, in a thrilling Gator Bowl win last year to close out its 2023 season.

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Clemson football rises in new US LBM Coaches Poll after must-win victory

Here’s how far Clemson rose in the new US LBM Coaches Poll, released Sunday following the Tigers’ win at Virginia Tech.

The Clemson Tigers got a must-win 24-14 victory over the Virginia Tech Hokies Saturday at Lane Stadium to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive after a wild Saturday of Top 25 action.

The Tigers (7-2 overall, 6-1 ACC) moved up one spot to No. 16 in the new US LBM Coaches Poll rankings, released Sunday.

Clemson moved past the LSU Tigers (6-3), who suffered a 42-13 blowout loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide (7-2) in Baton Rouge. Dabo Swinney’s team is ranked one spot below the No. 15 Texas A&M Aggies and one spot ahead of No. 17 Army.

Cade Klubnik and the Tigers overcame a scoreless first half to score 24 straight points against Virginia Tech in the second half. Klubnik threw three touchdown passes as Clemson built a commanding 24-7 lead late in the fourth quarter.

The Tigers’ defense held Virginia Tech to 228 yards, 75 of which came during a late touchdown drive with the game out of reach.

Clemson was ranked No. 23 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings, released on Tuesday. The Tigers got a boost to their ACC title hopes Saturday when the Miami Hurricanes suffered a 28-23 upset road loss to Georgia Tech.

The Tigers would need another Miami loss or an SMU loss to have a shot at reaching the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte.

The Oregon Ducks (10-0) remained No. 1 in the Coaches Poll for the fourth consecutive week after their 39-18 win over the Maryland Terrapins in Eugene. The Ohio State Buckeyes (8-1) moved up one spot to No. 2 after routing Purdue, 45-0, at Ohio Stadium.

The Texas Longhorns (8-1) rose one spot as well, up to No. 3 after a dominant win over the Florida Gators. The Tennessee Volunteers (8-1) moved into the top five, climbing two spots to No. 4 with the Penn State Nittany Lions (8-1) rounding out the top five.

Full Week 11 US LBM Coaches Poll rankings:

Rank	Team	Record	Points
1	Oregon Ducks	10-0	1,375 (55)
2	Ohio State Buckeyes	8-1	1,314
3	Texas Longhorns	8-1	1,262
4	Tennessee Volunteers	8-1	1,138
5	Penn State Nittany Lions	8-1	1,113
6	Indiana Hoosiers	10-0	1,057
7	Notre Dame Fighting Irish	8-1	1,038
8	BYU Cougars	9-0	994
9	Alabama Crimson Tide	7-2	899
10	Georgia Bulldogs	7-2	887
11	Ole Miss Rebels	8-2	877
12	Miami Hurricanes	9-1	820
13	SMU Mustangs	8-1	691
13	Boise State Broncos	8-1	691
15	Texas A&M Aggies	7-2	597
16	Clemson Tigers	7-2	536
17	Army Black Knights	9-0	466
18	Washington State Cougars	8-1	385
19	Kansas State Wildcats	7-2	332
20	Colorado Buffaloes	7-2	329
21	Missouri Tigers	7-2	277
22	LSU Tigers	6-3	257
23	South Carolina Gamecocks	6-3	118
24	Louisville Cardinals	6-3	109
25	Iowa State Cyclones	7-2	92

Clemson Football Schedule 2024

The Tigers will face the Pitt Panthers next Saturday at Acrisure Stadium at noon ET. The game will be televised on ESPN.

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Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik on the Tigers’ second half surge against Virginia Tech

Klubnik on Clemson’s second-half offensive performance against Virginia Tech.

Clemson football’s offense turned a sluggish first half into a dominant second half, leading to a 24-14 win over Virginia Tech. Trailing 7-0 at halftime, the Tigers rallied in the second half with quarterback Cade Klubnik throwing three touchdown passes.

Klubnik’s 29-yard pass to Cole Turner tied the game, and a 41-yard touchdown to T.J. Moore gave Clemson the lead. “We just had to find a way to fight through,” Klubnik said of the team’s resilience.

Despite early struggles, Klubnik was able to find a rhythm, completing 15 of 27 passes for 211 yards and three touchdowns. “I was just doing my part. This game, it’s about the team. We needed this,” he explained, reflecting on the win and his role in the turnaround. The second half saw him build better connections with his receivers, including Turner and Moore, who both contributed key touchdowns.

Clemson’s offense was also boosted by an offensive line that held up under pressure, giving Klubnik the protection needed to execute the game plan. The line’s performance allowed Klubnik to make critical throws, including a well-timed pass to Moore on a third-and-long, which resulted in a touchdown despite a blitz. “I just had to stay composed,” Klubnik said about the play, underscoring his ability to adapt under pressure.

The Tigers’ defense also played a crucial role, with freshman linebacker Sammy Brown making an immediate impact. Brown’s eight tackles, including a sack and two tackles for loss, helped shut down Virginia Tech’s rushing attack, limiting the Hokies to just 40 yards on the ground. “We knew we had to stop the run,” Brown said. The defense’s performance allowed the offense to take control and secure the win.

With the 24-14 victory, Clemson improves to 7-2 overall and 6-1 in the ACC, keeping their conference championship hopes alive. Klubnik, despite showing signs of exhaustion, expressed pride in the team’s effort. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said. The Tigers will now look to build on this momentum as they head into their next game.

How Clemson overcame early struggles to beat Virginia Tech, keep CFP hopes alive

What you need to know from Clemson’s comeback win over Virginia Tech.

The Clemson Tigers overcame an ugly first-half performance to score 24 straight points in a 24-14 victory over the Virginia Tech Hokies Saturday at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg.

With the win, Clemson (7-2 overall, 6-1 ACC) kept its College Football Playoff hopes alive. Earlier in the day, the Miami Hurricanes (9-1, 5-1) fell 28-23 in an upset loss to Georgia Tech in Atlanta.

Here’s what went right for the Tigers in the second half of their comeback win over the Hokies.

Cade Klubnik shakes off rust, delivers MVP performance

Cade Klubnik is the leader of the Clemson offense. That’s true of any team’s starting quarterback, and the junior from Austin, Texas, is certainly no different. Klubnik stepped up in the game’s final 30 minutes to help deliver a must-win victory for his team.

On the Tigers’ first drive of the half, Klubnik avoided a sack and ran for 13 yards and a first down to midfield. From there, he took it another 13 yards on a read-option to the Hokies’ 37-yard line.

Two plays later, Cole Turner came down with a 29-yard touchdown catch in one-on-one coverage. Turner was flagged for taunting and drew a 15-yard penalty, earning an earful on the sideline from Clemson coach Dabo Swinney. But it was a statement drive (eight plays, 75 yards, 3:35) for Klubnik and the Tigers’ offense — and one that would set the tone for the rest of the half.

After a three-and-out that took Virginia Tech all the way back to its own 8-yard line before a punt, Clemson took over with excellent field position at the Hokies’ 44 on its next series.

Three plays later, Klubnik made a highlight-reel play by avoiding a sure-fire sack off a cornerback blitz when he escaped and fired a strike to a wide-open T.J. Moore inside the 10-yard line. It was a 41-yard touchdown for a 14-7 Tigers lead after the extra point with 7:34 left.

That drive took 1:32 off the clock and gave Clemson its first lead of the afternoon.

Clemson’s defense shuts down hobbled Hokies offense

Virginia Tech was never going to present an explosive offense to challenge Clemson on Saturday. But the Tigers’ switch to a 4-3 scheme with five-star freshman Sammy Brown at linebacker paid off in a big way for Wes Goodwin’s unit.

Brown picked up a huge sack of Hokies quarterback Kyron Drones on 3rd and 10 from the Virginia Tech 36-yard line to force a third-quarter punt and give Clemson the ball at its own 25s.

On the Hokies’ next series, Drones hit Da’Quan Felton for a 30-yard gain to the Clemson 37. But Ashton Hampton made a sensational play on a one-handed interception while falling to his knees around the 10-yard line. The Tigers took over at their own 7-yard line.

Tigers show a bit of killer instinct in clutch situation

After Hampton’s interception, Klubnik led Clemson down the field on one of its most impressive drives of the year. The Tigers marched 93 yards on 10 plays in 5:45 to take a commanding 21-7 lead on a 12-yard Jake Briningstool touchdown catch. The tight end had just hauled in a 19-yard grab to the Virginia Tech 12 two plays earlier.

Late in the game, with Virginia Tech having turned to backup quarterback Collin Schlee, R.J. Mickens picked off a pass deep in Hokies territory at the 20 yard line.

Schlee would lead Virginia Tech on an ultimately meaningless touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter, but Clemson’s defense finished the day by allowing only 228 yards — 75 of which came with the score (for all intents and purposes) out of reach.

Clemson finished with a modest 378 yards of total offense. Klubnik was 16-of-34 for 211 yards and three touchdowns. Phil Mafah rushed for 128 yards on 26 carries, giving him four 100-yard games in his last five starts — and six total this season.

Clemson football 2024 schedule: Who’s up next?

Clemson will head to Pittsburgh to take on the No. 23 Pitt Panthers next Saturday at Acrisure Stadium. Kickoff is set for noon ET. The game will be televised on ESPN.

Where is ESPN ‘College GameDay’ in Week 11?

Here’s where ESPN’s College GameDay will be in Week 11 this Saturday.

ESPN’s “College GameDay” has announced its location for Week 11 of the 2024 college football season this Saturday.

Rece Davis, Lee Corso, Nick Saban, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee and crew will be in Baton Rouge for the SEC showdown between the No. 11 Alabama Crimson Tide and No. 13 LSU Tigers. Kickoff for that game is at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be televised on ABC.

ESPN’s decision to head to Baton Rouge for such a pivotal (and familiar) game is a smart one. Alabama-LSU is annually one of the country’s most-watched and most-anticipated rivalries.

The last time ‘Bama and LSU met without College Football Playoff or BCS Championship hopes on the line was all the way back in 2006, a year before Saban returned to the college ranks as Alabama’s head coach after a two-year stay in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins.

This year, the matchup is essentially a College Football Playoff elimination game as both Alabama and LSU have two losses.

Saturday’s edition of “College GameDay” is sure to be an emotional one. On Thursday, Herbstreit announced the passing of his beloved dog Ben, who had been accompanying the veteran broadcaster on college and NFL games for several seasons.

It will also mark the first time Saban will be in Baton Rouge as an analyst instead of a head coach. Before leading the Crimson Tide to six national championships over 17 seasons, Saban coached at LSU from 2000-04. He built a perennially underwhelming LSU program into a BCS National Champion in 2003.

The “GameDay” crew has now broadcast live from SEC venues six times this season. ESPN agreed to pay $300 million a year for the exclusive rights to broadcast SEC games beginning in 2024.

Clemson football 2024 schedule

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers (6-2) will be in Blacksburg Saturday to take on the Virginia Tech Hokies. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on ESPN.

Clemson is coming off a 33-21 loss to the Louisville Cardinals that dealt a severe blow to their College Football Playoff hopes; the Tigers are ranked No. 23 in the initial CFP rankings. Cade Klubnik, Phil Mafah and the offense struggled for three-plus quarters vs. Louisville after being red hot in the Tigers’ six straight wins before that.

Virginia Tech (5-4) has four losses but they’ve all been by seven points or fewer. Coach Brent Pry’s Hokies fell 38-31 in overtime to the Syracuse Orange at JMA Wireless Dome last week.

Clemson football 2024 Schedule: What’s left?

After Virginia Tech, the Tigers have another big road test on Nov. 16 when they face Eli Holstein and the No. 23 Pitt Panthers. Clemson closes the regular season with two games in Death Valley: Nov. 23 vs. The Citadel and the rival South Carolina Gamecocks on Nov. 30.

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USA TODAY Sports’ expert predictions for Clemson-Virginia Tech showdown

Here’s who USA TODAY Sports experts think will win Saturday’s showdown between No. 17 Clemson and Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.

Following a stunning 33-21 loss to the Louisville Cardinals, the Clemson Tigers will look to rebound Saturday when they head to Blacksburg to face the Virginia Tech Hokies at Lane Stadium.

Clemson’s loss to Louisville dropped them nine spots to No. 17 in this week’s US LBM Coaches Poll. In the initial College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday, Dabo Swinney and the Tigers (6-2 overall) ranked No. 23.

To say the least, Cade Klubnik and crew need a lot of things to go their way to even get back into playoff consideration. That starts by taking care of a Virginia Tech team that is 5-4 overall.

Like Louisville, the Hokies’ record is a bit misleading. All four of their losses this season have been by seven points or less, including a 38-31 overtime loss at Syracuse last Saturday.

According to multiple news reports, Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones will not play Saturday. The Hokies will reportedly turn to backup QB Collin Schlee, a transfer from UCLA.

On Thursday, the six-member panel of Dan Wolken, Paul Myerberg, Eddie Timanus, Scooby Axson, Jordan Mendoza and Erick Smith all predicted the Tigers to win Saturday’s game against Virginia Tech in the group’s weekly Top 25 college football predictions.

Kickoff for Saturday’s Clemson-Virginia Tech game is set for 3:30 p.m. ET. The game can be seen on ESPN.

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