Tag: Duke football

USA TODAY Sports expert picks for Clemson vs. Duke heavily favor the Tigers

USA TODAY Sports experts are all on the same page for Clemson vs. Duke.

College football is back, and we anxiously await September 4 and the return of Clemson football.

The Tigers have a Labor Day matchup with the Mike Elko and the Duke Blue Devils, which some years wouldn’t be a major concern for a program such as Clemson. Times change, and Duke has a great roster with top-tier head coaching coming off an ACC Coach of the Year first season with a program and home-field advantage against the Tigers.

Even so, this is a completely different Clemson football team we’ll see in 2023 than we did in 2022. Cade Klubnik is now under center, and new offensive coordinator Garrett Riley is exactly the type of coach the Tigers needed to turn things around on the offensive side of the ball.

The question is, how will they look in their first matchup of the season? A few see this as a game where Clemson could be on upset alert, but USA TODAY Sports experts don’t seem to believe so. In their Week 1 predictions, all six experts making picks chose the Tigers to win the game. 

On paper, Clemson has more talent on both sides of the ball and should handle their business against the Blue Devils. The thing is, games aren’t played on paper, and Duke has a quarterback and head coach who can will their teams into a serious battle with the Tigers. 

From my perspective, this matchup simply comes down to the Clemson offense. If Klubnik shows up and shows out with Riley, Will Shipley, and Phil Mafah do what they do best on the ground, and the offensive line and receivers put together a serviceable performance, Clemson should win comfortably. 

This matchup is a great Week 1 test and an exciting game for college football fans.

Clemson releases initial depth chart ahead of Duke opener

The Tigers have released their first depth chart of the 2023 season with one week before the opener at Duke.

Clemson has released its first depth chart of the 2023 season ahead of its season opener at Duke on Monday, Sept. 4.

Although there are no major surprises, here are a couple of interesting notes:

  • Five-star freshman Peter Woods is listed as a possible “or” co-starter at defensive tackle alongside Tyler Davis and Ruke Orhorhoro.
  • Tristan Leigh and Collin Sadler are listed as co-starters at left tackle.
  • Freshman Tyler Brown is listed as the backup slot wide receiver behind Antonio Williams.
  • Hunter Helms is listed as the backup quarterback behind Cade Klubnik.
  • Robert Gunn III is the starting kicker, replacing B.T. Potter, who left for the NFL after 2022

Here is the full depth chart:

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Updated ACC football projected win totals according to ESPN FPI

Despite all the hype around Florida State, ESPN’s FPI has Clemson as the ACC’s top projected team.

The 2023 college football season will be an intense one for the ACC, with a lot on the line. One of the most significant discussions of this off-season truly has become Clemson or Florida State. The Seminoles have become arguably the most hyped team in college football heading into 2023, with their new addition of former Michigan State wide receiver Keon Coleman adding even more fuel to the fire. 

Despite the hype and most analysts seeing Florida State as the new top team in the ACC, ESPN’s FPI sees things differently. 

According to ESPN, the FPI is a “measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team’s performance going forward for the rest of the season. FPI represents how many points above or below average a team is. Projected results are based on 20,000 simulations of the rest of the season using FPI, results to date, and the remaining schedule. Ratings and projections update daily. FPI data from seasons prior to 2019 may not be complete”.

This FPI has Clemson with the highest projected win total in the ACC, ahead of Florida State. Here is a full look at the projected win totals for each ACC team according to ESPN’s FPI.

Clemson Wire Crystal Ball: Tigers win first road game in rout against Duke

The crystal ball predicts a score 45-17. 

College Football is about to begin in a few more weeks, and to create more excitement, let’s make some early game-by-game predictions for the Tigers season.

First on the schedule for the Tigers is a road trip to Duke. The Blue Devils are currently a 12-point underdog, and oddsmakers place the over/under at 57 points. The Tigers are on a five-game win streak against the Blue Devils, averaging a margin of victory of 31 points, so covering the spread shouldn’t be an issue.

247 Sports predicted this will be a close game with a quarterback duel between Riley Leonard and Cade Klubnik. 

History shows that the Tigers can win this game easily, and they will. The crystal ball shows a massive performance from Klubnik to introduce his era of Clemson Football. The defense won’t struggle with Leonard. Also, expect Will Shipley to show he can carry the load this season with a solid game on the ground.

The crystal ball predicts a score of 45-17.

ACC football team recruiting rankings – early August update

FSU jumps Clemson but the Tigers average recruit ranking remains higher. An updated look at the 2024 ACC team recruiting rankings.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson football program have been working hard in the 2024 recruiting class and have successfully built one of the country’s top classes up to this point. 

Two top-tier recruits highlight Clemson’s 2024 class in linebacker Sammy Brown and wide receiver Bryant Wesco, each with the talent to be a future star for the program. The latest addition to the Tigers class was four-star cornerback Corian Gipson, who committed to the Tigers Saturday over Texas and others. 

With 17 commitments in the class, the Tigers have one of the strongest classes in the country but are no longer the strongest in the ACC. Florida State has recently jumped Clemson in the rankings. However, Clemson holds the higher average recruit rank.

Here is a look at the current ACC 2024 recruiting rankings according to On3’s industry ranking football team recruiting rankings.

Updated 8/8

Dabo Swinney on the challenges of an opener against Duke

Dabo Swinney discussed the Tigers opening matchup against Duke and the challenges they face.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson football program’s fall camp is underway, and the anticipation for the Tigers’ opener against the Duke Blue Devils is building.

People would hear Duke opener for many years and not think much of it. 2023 is not one of those years. 

Duke head coach Mike Elko won ACC Coach of the Year in his first season with the Blue Devils, and the roster remains strong heading into the season. With a star quarterback in Riley Leonard under center, Duke is no joke and will have another competitive season in the ACC. It could be a tough task for the Tigers as opening week can surprise and be unpredictable. 

“We need to show up with a great focus and commitment every day and we need to learn and grow from the success and the mistakes of the day before and just kind of build throughout camp. That’s part of it and obviously we need a little luck to stay healthy in a couple spots for sure,” Swinney said.

“We don’t get to play football until Labor Day night. You saw a game last night…there’s a reason why the pros play preseason games, for that reason right there. Cause they haven’t played football, it’s a long time to go. I don’t care how much you practice, there’s no simulation of playing the game and even when you get two scrimmages, you’re still going against each other.”

Opening week can be a challenge for many, but not everyone plays the highest caliber opponents to open their season. While Duke isn’t a premier college football team heading into the 2023 season, they are a talented group that could shock many with their performance. They did exactly that last season.

“We’re playing a really, really good team in duke who’s got a ton of confidence and a ton of guys back. There’s always challenges,” the Clemson head coach said. “You get into game week, you’ve only got so much time…we’ve been working on our first few opponents since the spring and guess what, they’re going to be doing that for us too…the key is finding a way to win the opener and then you go from there.”

The Tigers matchup with the Blue Devils should be an excellent one. It will be a good opportunity for Clemson to start the season off with a bang.

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Duke head coach Mike Elko talks matchup with Clemson, opportunity on the ‘national stage’

Duke head coach Mike Elko discusses their Week 1 matchup with the Tigers.

The Duke Blue Devils are an ACC team on the rise, with 2022 ACC Head Coach of the Year Mike Elko entering his second season in charge of the program.

Duke has a tough Week 1 matchup, with Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers heading to Durham to open the season. Elko spoke about playing the defending ACC champions Wednesday at the 2023 ACC Football Kickoff, sharing some praise for the Tigers and what the program has accomplished.

“I think being on that national stage is what we want Duke football to be,” the Duke head coach said. “Obviously Clemson has been the gold standard in this conference. We’ve not shied away from that this entire offseason, that they have done so many things to kind of carry the ACC and be our representative for so long.”

The 2022 season was great for both the Tigers and the Blue Devils, with Duke showing signs of being a dangerous team down the line. In 2022, Duke finished 9-4 (5-3 ACC) last season and won the Military Bowl vs. UCF. They have a star quarterback in Riley Leonard, one of the best offensive linemen in the country in Graham Barton, and one of the best defensive players in the game in defensive tackle Dewayne Carter.

A talented team, Elko heads into their matchup with the Tigers, believing that this is the football they need to play to take the next step as a program.

“But if we want to get our seat at the table and we want to get talked about in that light, those are the games that we’re going to have to play. So to be able to play that game in Durham in front of a packed house on Monday night with everybody watching, that’s what you want. I think that’s what our players want. That’s what our kids want, and that’s what our program wants.

“It’s not to say that we don’t have a ton of respect for who they are and what they do, but that’s an opportunity that we’re really looking forward to.”

The Tigers matchup with the Blue Devils on Labor Day, with the game is set to kick off at 8 p.m. It should be an excellent contest.

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Duke football gives Mike Elko extension

Mike Elko gets his contract extended by the Duke football program on Monday.

The North Carolina Tar Heels football program will be seeing rival head coach Mike Elko a little longer with the Duke Blue Devils.

The program announced on Monday that Elko’s contract has been extended through the 2029 season. The new contract also features an “enhanced, escalating model” for his coaching staff’s salary pool per the release.

Duke hired Elko following the 2021 season after he served as defensive coordinator for Texas A&M. Right away Elko made an impact, leading Duke to a 8-4 regular season record. They capped off the season with a win in the Military Bowl.

One of those four losses came at home to North Carolina but the Blue Devils were close to pulling off the upset.

In just one year, Elko has been impressive and is starting to turn this Duke program around. For UNC fans, that’s not great but it’s hard not to respect Elko and the job he has done with the program so far.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

ACC team recruiting rankings – July update

An updated look at the 2024 team recruiting rankings in the ACC.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson football program have been working hard in the 2024 recruiting class and have successfully built one of the country’s top classes up to this point. 

Two top-tier recruits highlight Clemson’s 2024 class in linebacker Sammy Brown and wide receiver Bryant Wesco, each with the talent to be a future star for the program. The latest addition to the Tigers class was four-star cornerback Corian Gipson, who committed to the Tigers Saturday over Texas and others. 

With 17 commitments in the class, the Tigers have one of the strongest classes in the country and the strongest in the ACC right now. 

Here is a look at the current ACC 2024 recruiting rankings according to On3’s industry ranking football team recruiting rankings.

Top 10 most-popular College Football programs based on fans

See which college football programs are the most popular based on how many fans they have heading into the 2023 season.

College Football is one of the most popular sports in the nation. The passion, tradition and drama make it exciting to watch. The real question is: which programs have the most fans?

A study done by SBRnet, analyzed by AL.com and the Center for Sports Analytics at Samford University.

Alabama ranked No. 2 in 2022, but takes a steep fall heading into the 2023 season. Passing the Crimson Tide are a few teams that are rather surprising.

As expected, Ohio State takes the top spot by a wide margin. See which programs make up the rest of the top 10 with the most fans in the nation.