With the beginning of fall camp at Clemson just around the corner, the start of the 2026 football season is inching ever so closer.
With that in mind, now is a good time to start diving into the opponents on the Tigers’ schedule.
2026 Schedule
- Sept. 5: at LSU
- Sept. 12: vs. Georgia Southern
- Sept. 19: vs. North Carolina
- Sept. 25 (Fri.): at Cal
- Oct. 3: vs. Miami
- Oct. 10: Open Date
- Oct. 17: vs. Charleston Southern
- Oct. 24: vs. Virginia Tech
- Oct. 31: at Florida State
- Nov. 7: at Syracuse
- Nov. 14: vs. Georgia Tech
- Nov. 20 (Fri.): at Duke
- Nov. 28: vs. South Carolina
Week 10: Syracuse (3-9, 1-7 ACC)
The team that came into Death Valley and flat-out smacked Clemson last season. The game was not as close as the final score of 34-21 might suggest. To make matters worse, it was the only ACC win the Orange had all season.
Steve Angeli, who shredded the Clemson defense last season, is back at quarterback for Fran Brown’s team. Angeli went down with a torn Achilles in that win over the Tigers and missed the rest of the season, so it’s fair to wonder if he’s fully back in time for the season opener. However, all signs indicate he will be, so we shall see.
Before the injury, that Orange offense was humming right along. His departure stopped that early momentum dead in its tracks. Amari Odom also transferred in from Kennesaw State to provide better depth. Former stud recruit Malachi Nelson was also signed after stints at Southern Cal, Boise State and UTEP.
Wideouts Johntay Cook and Darrell Gill Jr. both transferred out, but Elijah Moore comes in from Florida State and Cole Weaver from Miami University. Calvin Russell, a high-level prospect in the 2026 class, is also expected to come in and make a quick impact. Those are three dangerous weapons in the passing game.
Leading rusher Yasin Willis transferred out, but Ahmad Miller comes over from Jackson State after rushing for more than 1,000 yards last year. Not that Syracuse leans heavily on the running game.
The offensive line must see some improvement, and left tackle Trevion Mack is the only major returning starter. This might be the biggest concern on the team.
One area Syracuse has to be better in on the offensive side is scoring after halftime. The Orange were outscored 100-33 in the third quarter in 2025. They also have to be better at protecting the football after turning it over 23 times in 2025.
The defense must be dramatically improved. Syracuse had the ACC’s second-worst defense. They were bad against the pass and against the run.
Vince Kehres is the new defensive coordinator after his Toledo defense was second in the nation, behind only Ohio State.
The defensive line was remade through the portal. Tunmise Adeleye (Texas A&M), Dillan Fontus (Maryland), Tunmise Adeleye (UNLV) and Keyshawn Johnson (UT Martin) should instantly make the Orange better.
Gary Bryant III and Antoine Deslauriers are both back at linebacker and were the team’s top two tacklers last season.
While moves were made to shore up the quarterback depth, this team will still likely go as far as Angeli can take it. There was a night-and-day difference when he was playing last season and when he wasn’t. If he can stay healthy and they can protect him, Syracuse is likely to finish with a better record in 2026.
Either way, Clemson will head to the JMA Wireless Dome in early November with revenge on its mind.
