Clemson football ran the gauntlet with a perfect season and national championship last season, but can they repeat the feat in the 2019 campaign?
Clemson football is coming off their second national title in the last three years. Expectations are high with Trevor Lawrence returning, but the Tigers will have to replenish a defensive unit that was star-studded a year ago. Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence, Christian Wilkins, Austin Bryant and Trayvon Mullen have all left for the NFL. But with Lawrence, Travis Etienne and a talented group of receivers, there is plenty of talent to repeat.
In regard to that defense, Swinney has made his bones as a top-tier recruiter and will certainly have a litany of former four and five-star recruits ready to step in and fill the holes that were left by the previous stars for the Tigers, most notably Xavier Thomas. On offense, the situation is much easier though as that will be where the 2019 team thrives.
Lawrence is a certified stud, even just entering his true sophomore season. He would’ve been the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft had he been eligible and is one of the two favorites (Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama) to win the Heisman Trophy. Flanked by Etienne and wide receiver Tee Higgins, it’s hard to see any college defense slowing them down, certainly not in the ACC.
As the defending champions, though, Clemson will undoubtedly have a target on their backs in 2019. Will they be able to survive that?
Let’s go week-by-week through their schedule and see if they can again reel off a perfect season.