Cade Klubnik reflects on the impact of former Clemson QB Tajh Boyd
Clemson football QB Cade Klubnik has experienced highs & lows in his career. A person he has leaned on is former QB/current assistant Tajh Boyd.
Clemson football fell short in its matchup against LSU on Saturday, Aug. 30 at Memorial Stadium in Clemson.
The No. 6 Tigers have now dropped three season openers in a row, including losses to Duke and Georgia in 2023 and 2024, respectively. With the loss, Clemson’s College Football Playoff hopes, though still intact, certainly took a hit.
On a day in which Florida State dominated No. 8 Alabama, Clemson may have seen the Seminoles overtake them as the favorites in the ACC. Dabo Swinney’s team was limited to just 261 yards in the loss, with Cade Klubnik struggling with a 48% completion percentage, 188 yards and an interception in the loss.
So, now the question is: Where will Clemson fall in the US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Top 25 rankings ahead of Week 2? Here’s a look at the possibilities:
Clemson football rankings: Where will Tigers fall in top 25?
A loss to a top 10 team in August is more forgivable with the 12-team CFP field. Clemson is nowhere near eliminated from CFP contention, but now faces a slim margin the rest of the season, with the SEC and Big Ten likely boosting superior conferences again.
Clemson is sure to drop from No. 6. But with the close loss to LSU, it’s unlikely the program slips out of the top 10. Clemson was not the only top-10 team to go down this week, with No. 1 Texas falling to No. 2 Ohio State and the aforementioned eighth-ranked Crimson Tide falling to unranked Florida State. Moreover, one more top-10 team will fall this weekend, as No. 5 Notre Dame takes on No. 10 Miami on Sunday, Aug. 31, from Miami Gardens, Florida.
The loss to LSU is not going to sting as much as the loss for the Tigers. But Clemson, playing out of a perceived weaker conference in the ACC, will have to outplay everyone remaining on its schedule this season. No. 16 SMU (Oct. 18) and No. 13 South Carolina (Nov. 29) are the only ranked teams left on Clemson’s schedule.
Here’s how the rest of the top 15 fared in Week 1, and how those games might affect the Tigers’ ranking:
Rankings reflect Week 1 US LBM Coaches Poll
- No. 1 Texas: 14-7 loss to No. 2 Ohio State
- No. 2 Ohio State: 14-7 win vs. No. 1 Texas
- No. 3 Penn State: 46-11 win vs. Nevada
- No. 4 Georgia: 45-7 win vs. Marshall
- No. 5 Notre Dame: vs. Miami (Sunday, Aug. 31)
- No. 6 Clemson: 17-10 loss vs. No. 9 LSU
- No. 7 Oregon: 59-13 win vs. Montana
- No. 8 Alabama: 31-17 loss to Florida State
- No. 9 LSU: 17-10 win vs. No. 6 Clemson
- No. 10 Miami: vs. No. 5 Notre Dame (Sunday, Aug. 31)
- No. 11 Arizona State: vs. Northern Arizona
- No. 12 Illinois: 52-3 win over Western Illinois
- No. 13 South Carolina: vs. Virginia Tech (Sunday, Aug. 31)
- No. 14 Michigan: 34-17 win vs. New Mexico
- No. 15 Ole Miss: 63-7 win vs. Georgia State
Final ranking prediction: Clemson falls to No. 9
