This ESPN writer believes Clemson has plenty to prove in 2023.

A panel of ESPN reporters weighed in on who has the most to prove this season, from teams to players and coaches, and Andrea Adelson pegged Clemson as the team with the most to prove.

In 2022, the Tigers won their seventh ACC Championship in the last eight seasons, won at least 10 games for the 12th straight season and won at least 11 games for the eighth time in 11 seasons. But the Tigers are looking to snap a two-season playoff drought after making the College Football Playoff every season from 2015-20.

“At least from a national perspective, Clemson has to prove to its growing number of doubters that it still has what it takes to be a perennial playoff contender,” Adelson wrote. “Especially after coach Dabo Swinney went out and hired Garrett Riley to help get the offense moving in the right direction. It is a move that acknowledged something had to be done to get the Tigers back to a place where they belonged for so long.

“While it is true that Clemson won the ACC in 2022 and has 12 straight seasons with 10 or more wins, it also is true that continuing to raise the bar has now put Clemson in a position where anything less than a playoff spot is disappointing. Therefore, the narrative that is being written is one that Clemson is “underachieving” even though this is the best era in the history of Clemson football. Clemson does not have to prove that it can win 10 games and the ACC. But what it does have to prove is that it deserves to be considered a championship contender again.”

Following a 31-14 loss to Tennessee in the Orange Bowl, Clemson (11-3, 9-0 ACC) finished the 2022 season ranked No. 13 in the AP Top 25 and No. 12 in the AFCA Coaches Poll.

For the second straight season, Clemson will open on Labor Day when the Tigers face Duke at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C., on Monday, Sept. 4.

Dear Old Clemson has added the Tiger Sack Pack to our online store.  Save by getting the Two Pack of signed cards from two of the nation’s top defensive ends, Myles Murphy and Xavier Thomas.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. 

Dear Old Clemson is doing NIL the ‘Clemson way’, but we need your help to make sure we build a sustainable, repeatable model that will help keep Clemson competitive with the other top programs around the nation.

Dabo Swinney: “We need your assistance more than ever to provide meaningful NIL opportunities. Tiger Impact, Dear Old Clemson and other collectives allow student-athletes to utilize their voice and platform to maximize their NIL opportunities and strengthen their impact in the community.”

Graham Neff:
“Tiger Impact, Dear Old Clemson and other collectives need your support to help provide meaningful NIL opportunities for our student athletes. We are doing things the right way, the Clemson way with integrity as a non-negotiable and we fully support the mission of these groups.”

Join the Tiger Club or Lady Tiger Club to help these great student-athletes and help the Tigers compete at the highest level!