ESPN’s Greg McElroy Highlights Clemson’s Playoff Gauntlet Features Two of 2025's Biggest Showdowns

ESPNs Greg McElroy Highlights Clemsons Playoff Gauntlet Features Two of 2025's Biggest Showdowns originally appeared on Athlon Sports.Circle your calendars, college football fans.

According to ESPN analyst Greg McElroy, Clemson's 2025 schedule isn't just toughit's home to a quarter of the most important non-conference games in the entire country.As McElroy broke down his top-10 non-conference clashes for the 2025 season, the Clemson Tigers appeared not once, but twice, with both matchups carrying significant College Football Playoff implications.The season-ending Palmetto Bowl rivalry against South Carolina, a game where Clemson will be hunting for a sixth straight win in Columbia, clocked in at No.

8 on McElroy's list.Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney speaks during the College Football Playoff National Championship Coaches Conference at the media hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana Sunday, January 12, 2020.

Clemson Lsu Football Cfp Coaches Conference And Trophy Photo Sunday New Orleans Ken Ruinard staff The Greenville News via Imagn Content Services LLC"That's always one of my favorite rivalries and it will be an awesome one to consume in 2025," McElroy declared, highlighting the intensity of the in-state SEC vs.

ACC battle.

While he questions if the Gamecocks' defense can replicate last year's success, he sees major potential on the other side of the ball.

"I think offensively they have a chance to take a significant step forward."For Dabo Swinney's Tigers, the stakes couldn't be higher for that road trip."I think Clemson has a legit chance to start the season in the Top 5," McElroy stated emphatically.

"I would not be surprised at all if at season's end they're No.

1, No.

2, No.

3 in college football.

I think they're that good.

A legitimate national championship contender having to go on the road in the final game of the regular season against their SEC foe."However, the bigger blockbuster lands in Week 1.

McElroy tabs the Clemson-LSU opener as the No.

2 non-conference game of the yeara titanic clash between two programs with championship aspirations."LSU travels from their Death Valley to Clemson's Death Valley, and that should be one of the best games of the college football season," McElroy said.He sees two heavyweights ready to trade blows.

On one side, a Clemson squad he believes is loaded for a title run."They have the quarterback back, they got tremendous skill, the offensive line should be excellent, defensively they have great players back at all three levels," McElroy detailed.On the other, a reloaded LSU team under Brian Kelly, who many believe is poised for a breakthrough with Garrett Nussmeier at the helm.

McElroy notes that LSU has "adequately replaced several spots" via the transfer portal and will feature a defense under second-year coordinator Blake Baker, eager to "have a couple tricks up their sleeve against Cade Klubnik."The only game McElroy ranked higher than the Death Valley showdown was the monster SEC/Big Ten opener between Texas and Ohio State in Columbus.This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared..

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