Clemson will kick off the 2025 season in the national spotlight when it welcomes LSU for a marquee matchup at Memorial Stadium on Aug. 30. And of course, Clemson’s 2025 regular season will conclude with a road contest at rival South Carolina on Nov. 29.

Those are a couple games on Clemson’s 2025 schedule that clearly stand out. But what else sticks out on the slate?

ACC Network analyst Eric Mac Lain, the former Clemson/All-ACC offensive lineman, weighed in on Clemson’s 2025 schedule after it was unveiled Monday night.

The first game that Mac Lain pointed to is the Tigers’ ACC opener against Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Sept. 13.

Clemson’s last road game at Georgia Tech was played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2022, so this year’s contest will mark the Tigers’ first trip to Bobby Dodd Stadium since 2020. This past season marked the first year since 1982 that Clemson and Georgia Tech did not face one another, due to the ACC adopting a divisionless format with altered protected rivalries.

“Looking at their first away game, going to Georgia Tech – a place that historically can be a house of horrors for Clemson,” Mac Lain said on the Gramlich & Mac Lain show with fellow Clemson alum and ESPN/ACC Network analyst Kelly Gramlich.

“I think in my time playing, back in my day, really before, we kind of changed it a little bit, but we did lose my junior year down there. It’s a weird place. It really is. Because when they get juiced up, it’s loud and crazy. I know it’s tiny and it’s one of the oldest stadiums, whatever, but they like themselves some football. And that’s going to be a gritty football team. I think Georgia Tech is going to bully a lot of people. …  So, Georgia Tech is always going to be tough. But now with their new coach (Brent Key), it’s going to be even tougher.”

After hosting two early season non-conference games, the Tigers will host their first conference tilt of the 2025 season at Memorial Stadium on Sept. 20 when they play Syracuse. The Tigers are 5-0 all-time against the Orange at Death Valley, and this year’s game will be Syracuse’s first visit to Death Valley since 2022.

It’ll be the first game against Clemson for Fran Brown as Syracuse’s head coach. Of course, Brown and the Orange got Dabo Swinney and the Tigers into the 2024 ACC Championship Game, thanks to Syracuse’s upset victory over Miami in the final week of the regular season.

“We have the Fran Brown/Dabo Swinney Bowl, finally,” Mac Lain said. “The guy that got them to the championship, essentially got them to the playoff. Syracuse is going to come to Death Valley there, and excited to see that.”

In October, Clemson will play its lone home game of the month when it squares off with SMU at Death Valley on Oct. 18 in a rematch of the teams’ thrilling 2024 ACC Championship Game. The Tigers and Mustangs met for the first time in series history this past December, when Nolan Hauser’s 56-yard walk-off field goal gave Clemson its eighth ACC title in the past 10 seasons and sent the Tigers to their seventh College Football Playoff.

“We’ve got a rematch of SMU, of the ACC Championship – in Death Valley. Again, a really tough place to play,” Mac Lain said. “That’ll be kind of their welcome party, if you will. I know it’s later in the season, like Week 7 or something like that. But always a great game to see that.”

Following that game against SMU and then an open date on Oct. 25, Clemson will play its first of five games in the month of November when the Tigers take on Duke at Memorial Stadium on Nov. 1. Clemson will then host Florida State on Nov. 8 before traveling to Louisville on Nov. 14. After a home date vs. Furman on Nov. 22, the Tigers will wrap up the regular season with a road trip to South Carolina on Nov. 29.

“Really, it’s the finish for me,” Mac Lain said of something that stands out about Clemson’s 2025 schedule. “When you look at Oct. 18, that SMU game on, you’ve got a bye after that leading into Duke, who’s going to be physical. Good team, new quarterback (Darian Mensah) coming in. Florida State is what it is, it’s a rivalry. Who knows what happens. At Louisville, you’ve got Furman snuck in there, and then at South Carolina. So, Clemson ending with a really kind of nice schedule there in regards to getting ready and being prepared for that ‘Championship Phase.’”

Mac Lain also mentioned Clemson’s consecutive road conference games at North Carolina and Boston College in October. Swinney will lead the Tigers against multi-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick and the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill on Oct. 4, then on Oct. 11, Clemson will play its first game against current Boston College head coach Bill O’Brien.

“Two away games back-to-back. At North Carolina, the ‘Fighting Bill Belichicks,’ and then up to the ‘Fighting Bill O’Briens,’” Mac Lain said. “So, you’re basically playing NFL games two weeks in a row on the road.”

As for Clemson’s season opener against the Bayou Bengals on Aug. 30 at Death Valley, Clemson and LSU will meet one another in regular season play for the first time in history after four previous postseason meetings. It will be the debut for Tom Allen as Clemson’s new defensive coordinator.

“It’s going to be fascinating. … It’s obviously a great series with LSU,” Mac Lain said. “Clemson will go there the following season. So, it’s always fun. You love to see those. And (LSU head coach) Brian Kelly, like 0 for a billion in season openers, so the favor certainly in tide with the Clemson Tigers here. And just to see that new-look defense. You’re going to see it right away. Does it work, is it a good fit, are you happy with it?”