A week off gave the Clemson Tigers a slight boost in the Associated Press Top 25 rankings, moving them up one spot to No. 21. However, the upcoming weeks may present opportunities for the Tigers (1-1) to climb even higher.
After resting following their dominant win over Appalachian State, Clemson returns to action on Saturday to face NC State at noon. The Tigers’ schedule appears favorable, potentially allowing them to rise into the upper half of the rankings.
Saturday’s matchup features a 2-1 NC State team with victories over FCS Western Carolina and Louisiana Tech, but also a heavy loss to No. 6 Tennessee. While the game seems evenly matched, Clemson may have an edge, especially playing at home after a week off.
Following NC State, Clemson will host Stanford, who is 1-1 after a decisive win over Cal Poly and a close loss to TCU. Stanford faces Syracuse in their ACC opener on Friday before traveling to Clemson for a challenging night game in Death Valley—another advantage for the Tigers.
Clemson’s next major test will be a road game against Florida State, who have struggled this season with an 0-3 record, including a recent loss to Memphis. After that, Clemson faces Wake Forest on Oct. 12 and hosts Virginia on Oct. 19. While no ACC game is easy, the Tigers don’t face a ranked opponent until No. 19 Louisville visits on Nov. 2, just after Clemson’s second bye week.
The Tigers also avoid playing No. 8 Miami, the highest-ranked ACC team, unless the two teams meet in the ACC Championship. Clemson is one of three ranked ACC teams, and winning the conference appears to be the clearest path forward.
With a favorable schedule, Clemson has a clear route to not only the ACC Championship but also a potential rise in the AP Top 25, possibly entering the Top 10 by the time they face Louisville in November.
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