CLEMSON – Former Clemson offensive lineman and current ACC Network analyst Eric Mac Lain recently shared his thoughts on the ACC teams that could challenge the Tigers this season during a recent episode of Bleav in Clemson Football.

Mac Lain, Clemson football’s winningest player in program history, expressed strong confidence in the Tigers’ upcoming season, attributing his optimism to the way all the pieces have come together.

“They’re going to be really good,” he said. “I’ve seen different headlines and  people discussing the Tigers, but this just feels like a really big year. And I hate to put the pressure on it’s ‘this or bust,’ because that ‘s never really true.

“When you look at everything that Clemson was able to do from a roster standpoint, the expectation of growth from the guys that are there, and then when you talk about the best quarterback in college football in Cade Klubnik, with this talented group of receivers, all the stars have aligned.”

While Mac Lain is confident that Clemson can win its third ACC Championship in four years, he named three other ACC teams that could challenge the Tigers for the title. The first team Mac Lain highlighted as a threat is SMU, last season’s ACC runner up and regular-season champion.

The Mustangs finished undefeated in regular-season conference play and nearly forced an overtime against Clemson in the ACC Championship. After trailing 21-7 in the first quarter, quarterback Kevin Jennings led the Mustangs to a 24-10 run to tie the game with seconds remaining.

Although Clemson eventually claimed a victory and automatic bid to the College Football Playoff, SMU showed its ability to be a legitimate contender in its first year in the ACC. This season, SMU will again rely on Jennings, with running back Derek McFall expected to have a breakout year.

“It’s hard not to give SMU credit,” Mac Lain said. “What they were able to do last year, going undefeated in the conference, their first year in, getting to the ACC championship, losing by a field goal. I mean, they had a really bad start and we thought it was just going to be Murderers Row the rest of the game and here they come, marching back.”

 “Kevin Jennings played the lights out in the second half and if I look at that last game-tying drive that SMU had and you see what Kevin Jennings did at the quarterback position, if he can be that guy all year long he’ll win the Heisman…. We saw Cade Klubnik go through a massive jump year one to year two as a starter. Kevin will be doing that this year… They have some key guys they’re replacing but they feel really good about who they’re replacing them with.”

SMU will get its shot at a rematch with Clemson on Oct. 18 when the Mustangs visit Memorial Stadium for the first time as an ACC member.

Mac Lain also mentioned Miami as a potential ACC Championship matchup. The Hurricanes finished with a 10-3 record last season and only two conference losses. While they lost Heisman candidate quarterback Cam Ward, he will be replaced with Georgia transfer Carson Beck, who was a preseason Heisman candidate a year ago.

Although Clemson will not face Miami in the regular season, Mac Lain sees the Hurricanes as a possible opponent in the ACC Championship in Charlotte this December.

“Miami is always a team that’s going to be mentioned at the top,” he said. “They have recruited so well, the number one recruiting class in the ACC, I think, for the last three years. And the way they’ve done it, inside out like that, their offense and defensive lines are disgusting. I mean, they are really, really nice pieces.”

“It could be really interesting to see what Miami can be, who they can be. Lost a lot at the skill positions, but have guys ready, have four or five star guys ready.”

Mac Lain only faced Miami once as a player, in a 58-0 victory at Hard Rock Stadium during the 2015 season, which helped send Clemson to the National Championship.

Lastly, Mac Lain sees Louisville, Clemson’s only ACC loss last season, as a legitimate threat. The Cardinals finished with a 9-4 record and capped the season with a Sun Bowl victory over Washington.

“You kind of look at a team like Louisville that probably doesn’t get enough credit, that probably gets, you know, pissed off that they don’t give enough because they just win,” he said. “Having beat Clemson the first time ever last year, you know, beating Kentucky, they are growing. And Jeff Brohm’s a heck of a coach. I think one of the best in the country at what he does.”

Clemson will travel to Louisville on Nov. 14 for a chance to avenge last year’s loss.

Before that, however, the Tigers will face their first test of the season 77 days earlier with a non-conference opener against LSU at Memorial Stadium on Aug. 30. While winning its first opener in three years is the current priority, Mac Lain’s analysis gives Clemson fans a preview of the challenges that lie ahead on the path to the ACC Championship.