Greg McElroy Names Major College Football Program With ‘Sky High’ Expectations originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Clemson Tigers are officially back in the spotlight, and ESPN’s Greg McElroy is buying the hype. On a recent episode of his show, “Always College Football,” McElroy didn’t hold back in his praise of Dabo Swinney’s squad, calling the expectations for Clemson in 2025 “sky-high.”
Advertisement
“It feels like 2025 has been the year that they’ve circled for quite some time,” McElroy said. “They have veterans in pivotal places… It all starts, though, with Cade Klubnik.”
Klubnik took a massive leap in 2024, throwing for 3,639 yards, 36 touchdowns, and only six interceptions. His 36 touchdown passes trailed only Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders, both now in the NFL.
With top wideouts Antonio Williams, Bryant Wesco Jr. and TJ Moore all returning, the Tigers’ offense is positioned to remain one of the most dynamic in the country.
Advertisement
Clemson’s resurgence last fall was one of the more under-discussed stories in college football. After an early-season stumble against Georgia in Week 1, the Tigers got back on track with a six-game win streak. Unfortunately, their season came to an end in the first round of the College Football Playoff in a 38-24 loss to Texas.
The Clemson Tigers, who play in Memorial Stadium, were listed by Greg McElroy as a team with “sky-high” expectations in 2025.© Joshua S. Kelly-Imagn Images
But McElroy believes Clemson’s real X-factor may be on the defensive side. Former Indiana head coach and Penn State assistant Tom Allen takes over as defensive coordinator after Wes Goodwin was let go in January.
Advertisement
“Tom Allen was at Penn State last year,” McElroy said. “He’s aggressive. He’s disciplined. When you watch Tom Allen in the past… his guys have always played outrageously hard for him.”
The numbers back it up. Penn State ranked No. 8 nationally in scoring defense (16.5 points per game under Allen last season) and ranked seventh in total defense, allowing just 294.8 yards per game. That’s a stark contrast to Clemson’s 374.1 average.
McElroy summarized Clemson’s outlook succinctly: “Clemson has as many known commodities on their roster as anyone in college football. They have everything you could possibly want to make a national championship run.”
Advertisement
With experience, talent and motivation, 2025 is shaping up to be Clemson’s best shot at a title since Trevor Lawrence’s departure.
Related: Fans Outraged Over The Latest Preseason College Football Playoff Predictions
Related: Former Michigan QB Unimpressed with Wolverines’ 2026 Season Opener Decision
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
