2016 Football Preview – ACC – Clemson Tigers
Looking for 2016 Clemson Tigers predictions? Coach Dabo Swinney will look to come into the 2016-17 season with high expectations after leaving the title game empty handed just one year ago.
2016 ACC College Football Preview – Clemson Tigers
NCAA Division: ACC
Head Coach: Dabo Swinney
2015 Record: 14-1
Clemson Tigers Odds To Win NCAA Championship +800
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Swinney will be led by junior quarterback Deshaun Watson, who currently had the best odds to win the hesiman trophy at the end of the season. Swinney looks to jump on the back of
Watson for one more season, where he will end up declaring for the draft.
2016 Clemson Tigers Predictions: Team Strengths
I believe the strength of this team is pretty obvious; the strength stands with starting quarterback Deshaun Watson. Watson showed he was able to produce at a very high level last year as he led this team to the National title game before getting beat by Alabama.
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Watson totaled 4104 yards and 35 touchdowns in the air, while tallying another 1187 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground for the Tigers. This team will shine as bright as Watson does this upcoming season.
Watson will be able to dish the ball out to some weapons this season as he is returning Artavis Scott and Mike Williams to the team. The receiving duo totaled 150 catches and 1957 yards for the Tigers last season.
Watson was an all-around player last player last season and I see him becoming elite in his 3rd season as the starting quarterback for Clemson. With the weapons and skillset that Watson has, there is no reason for him to not be a top performer this season, and a possible number 1 overall pick in next year’s NFL draft.
He will have to stress more on keeping care of the ball, as he had 14 turnovers last season, but here in the preseason I believe that this Heisman award is for Deshaun Watson’s to lose.
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2016 Clemson Tigers Predictions: Team Weaknesses
The weakness on this team isn’t so much of a weak spot on the team more of just an inexperienced part of the defense due to players now heading to the NFL. This spot that I consider the weakness of the Clemson Tigers team is the defensive line.
The Clemson Tigers defense line has been unreal to block this past couple years, and they said farewell to Kevin Dodd and Shaq Lawson last season. Dodd and Lawson recorded 49 tackles for loss as well as 24.5 sacks last season on the defensive line.
They will be filled in by two sophomores Austin Bryant and Richard Yeargin. Bryant played in 13 games last season where he was able to record 1.5 sacks, and Yeargin posted 1 sack in 9 games. The defensive pass rush is something that this defense is going to have to worry about this whole season.
Although the defensive ends from last season are gone, the defensive tackles return. Christian Wilkins and Carlos Watkins return for the Tigers. It is very hard to tell how these defensive tackles will perform in this upcoming year without their two NFL defensive ends taking up all of the attention from offensive lines.
Also be looking for true freshman Dexter Lawrence to get some playing time in this group. Lawrence was a top 10 recruit in the 2016 recruiting class and he has a lot of size and potential in this upcoming year.
This Clemson Tigers defensive line, specifically pass rush; will be interesting to see in this upcoming season and it will need to be successful in order to have another successful season.
2016 Clemson Tigers Predictions :
( Clemson Tigers 14-1)
I feel that this Clemson team is jumping off of teams radars after their year last season; they’re staying on my radar. I think Deshaun Watson wins the Heisman this year and I believe he’s the best player in the nation.
This offense will be one of the best in the nation and it will make up for the lack of defensive pass rush that will haunt them. I do not believe that Florida State or North Carolina will be as good as they were last season and it will not be much of a worry for this Tiger team.
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I’m predicting Clemson to run the table through the regular season and win the ACC title game. Then, when the Tigers get into the playoff, that’s where things get interesting.
From there it all depends on the matchup they are given with seeding. I do think that the seed will be in their favor and they will win the first round of the College Football Playoff and they make the National Championship game.
I do not think they win that game, regardless who they play. I predict that Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers will fall in the National Championship game for the second straight season.
2016 Clemson Tigers Football Schedule
- 9/3/16 at. Auburn Tigers TBA
- 9/10/16 vs. Troy Trojans TBA
- 9/17/16 vs. South Carolina State Bulldogs TBAstrong>
- 9/222/16 at. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets TBA
- 10/1/16 vs. Louisville Cardinals TBA
- 10/7/16 at. Boston College Eagles TBA
- 10/15/16 vs. North Carolina State Wolfpack TBA
- 10/29/16 at. Florida State Seminoles TBA
- 11/5/16 vs. Syracuse Orange TBA
- 11/12/16 vs. Pittsburgh Panthers TBA
- 11/19/16 at. Wake Forest Demon Deacons TBA
- 11/26/16 vs. South Carolina Gamecocks TBA
What do you think about our 2016 Clemson Tigers predictions? Please leave us a comment below telling us how you think they’ll do in 2016!
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