How does Clemson’s strength of schedule stack up with other ACC squads, based on what things look like right now ahead of the 2025 season?

Athlon Sports recently ranked the ACC’s 2025 schedules from the easiest to the most difficult, and Clemson’s 2025 slate was pegged as the third-toughest among the 17 teams in the conference.

Here’s what Athlon’s Kyle Wood had to say regarding Clemson’s schedule for the upcoming campaign:

“The ACC champions once again have a target on their back heading into the season, but two of their toughest games are out of conference. Clemson opens the year at home against LSU and wraps up on the road against in-state rival South Carolina, which has won two of the past three meetings.

“There are some tricky games in league play on deck for Dabo Swinney and Co., including an ACC championship rematch with SMU and a visit from Syracuse. The Tigers also travel to take on Georgia Tech and Louisville, the only ACC team they lost to in the 2024 regular season.”

The way Athlon sees it, only Florida State and Syracuse have harder schedules than Clemson next season. Clemson welcomes Syracuse to Death Valley on Sept. 20, and the Tigers later host Florida State on Nov. 8.

On the other end of the spectrum, former Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott’s Virginia team is listed as having the easiest 2025 schedule. Wake Forest, and then Bill Belichick’s North Carolina team, are ranked as having the next-easiest schedules after  Virginia. Both the Cavaliers and Demon Deacons aren’t scheduled to play Clemson, while the Tar Heels open their ACC schedule with a matchup against the Tigers in Chapel Hill on Oct. 4.

Clemson’s 2025 schedule will once again feature a full seven-game home slate in Death Valley (LSU, Troy, Syracuse, SMU, Duke, Florida State, Furman) in addition to four road games against ACC opponents (Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Boston College, Louisville) and a road contest in the regular season finale at South Carolina.

Clemson’s marquee season-opening matchup against LSU at Memorial Stadium is set for Saturday, Aug. 30.

The Tigers went 8-1 in ACC play last season and are coming off their eighth conference title in the past 10 seasons.