Where Clemson, ‘25 Opponents Stand in CFB Power Rankings
By: Gavin Oliver June 9, 2025

Less than 100 days away from the 2025 season kicking off, College Sports Network (CSN) released its outlook for the upcoming college football campaign by ranking teams from No. 1-136.

Clemson landed all the way up at No. 2 in CSN’s power rankings, behind only defending national champion Ohio State.

Of course, Dabo Swinney’s program is coming off a 2024 season during which the Tigers went 10-4 (7-1 ACC), won their eighth conference title in the last 10 seasons, and returned to the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2020.

Here’s what CSN wrote about Clemson entering 2025:

Dabo Swinney has had his detractors due to an archaic attitude toward the transfer portal. However, 2025 is the season when the Clemson Tigers return to the forefront of the college football landscape.

Cade Klubnik and [LSU’s Garrett] Nussmeier go head-to-head in a battle of NFL Draft quarterbacks in a Week 1 showcase that should quantify the reality of preseason expectations for the ACC team.

Klubnik is one of the best quarterbacks in the country, and a supporting cast of experienced offensive linemen and talented wide receivers should allow him to power a high-scoring offense.

Yet, it’s on the defensive side of the ball where things get really exciting, with playmakers from front to back, led by T.J. Parker, Peter Woods, and Avieon Terrell, who are all among the best at their position.

Oregon is No. 3 in CSN’s power rankings, with Texas and Notre Dame rounding out the top five.

After Clemson, the highest-ranked ACC team is 2024 conference runner-up SMU (No. 10). Two other ACC teams also cracked the top 25 in Miami (No. 13) and Louisville (No. 20).

Clemson’s archrival, South Carolina, received a top-10 ranking and checked in at No. 8.

Clemson’s 2025 season-opening opponent, LSU, did not make the top 25. The Bayou Bengals appeared at No. 30:

While this may seem ludicrously low for the LSU Tigers, there are some legitimate concerns facing the program this coming season. Before you even dig into the roster, Brian Kelly’s team is staring down the barrel of a schedule that features seven teams with a preseason ranking. Road games at Clemson, Ole Miss, Alabama, and Oklahoma all hold potential pitfalls that could derail the season.

On the plus side, Kelly has one of the top quarterbacks in the country leading his offense. That said, Garrett Nussmeier needs to cut down on critical interceptions. He’s got a decent receiving group, but LSU lost several of its top pass catchers and both starting offensive tackles. Whit Weeks and Harold Perkins Jr. are monster linebackers, but the secondary isn’t as scary as we’ve seen recently.

Following is Clemson’s 2025 schedule and where each opponent is ranked in CSN’s power rankings:

  • Aug. 30: vs. LSU (No. 30)
  • Sept. 6: vs. Troy (No. 74)
  • Sept. 13: at Georgia Tech (No. 41)
  • Sept. 20: vs. Syracuse (No. 33)
  • Oct. 4: at North Carolina (No. 49)
  • Oct. 11: at Boston College (No. 36)
  • Oct. 18: vs. SMU (No. 10)
  • Nov. 1: vs. Duke (No. 50)
  • Nov. 8: vs. Florida State (No. 47)
  • Nov. 14 (Fri.): at Louisville (No. 20)
  • Nov. 22: vs. Furman (FCS, not ranked)
  • Nov. 29: at South Carolina (No. 8)