CLEMSON – The 2024 season is crucial for Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney.
The 16-year Tigers coach has amassed two national championships and six College Football Playoff appearances from 2015 to 2020. Yet his team has missed the CFP the last three seasons.
Swinney is optimistic that his philosophy of recruiting and developing high school players through the transfer portal will earn him a return to the ACC Championship and the expanded CFP. No. 14 Clemson will know where it stands when it opens the season on Aug. 31 (noon ET, ESPN) against No. 1 Georgia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Here is a prediction for Clemson’s 2024 schedule, game by game:
August 31: Georgia in Atlanta
Totals: The Bulldogs enter as the No. 1 team in the country and have a Heisman candidate in quarterback Carson Beck. They have been the best college football team for the past three seasons, posting a 42-2 record and two national championships.
Forecast: Georgia 30, Clemson 20
September 7: Appalachian State
Totals: Although App State plays in a Group of 5 conference, it has a 3-5 record against elite conferences, with each game decided by seven points or fewer.
Forecast: Clemson 27, Appalachian State 20
September 21: NC State
Totals: This rivalry has been brewing for the past five seasons, with both teams winning four games each. The Wolfpack finished 6-2 and third in the ACC last year, and will look to build on that momentum with new quarterback Grayson McCall.
Forecast: Clemson 24, NC State 17
September 28: Stanford
Totals: Stanford joined the ACC after the Pac-12 collapsed. The Cardinals have a losing record since 2019, including three consecutive 3-9 seasons, and will face Clemson for the first time since 1986.
Forecast: Clemson 38, Stanford 13
October 5: at Florida State
Totals: Despite losing many key players, Florida State is expected to win the conference for the second year in a row. This game is full of storylines, from FSU becoming the new powerhouse of the ACC to Seminoles quarterback DJ Uiagalelei facing his former team.
Forecast: Florida State 27, Clemson 24
October 12: in Wake Forest
Totals: Wake Forest signed quarterback Hank Bachmeier to play behind a strong offensive line and capable pass receivers, but the Demon Deacons are still considered one of the worst teams in the ACC.
Forecast: Clemson 38, Wake Forest 13
October 19: Virginia
Totals: The Tony Elliot era has been disappointing so far; in his first two years, his team recorded two consecutive three-win seasons.
Forecast: Clemson 31, Virginia 10
November 2: Louisville
Totals: The Cardinals are coming off their best season since joining the ACC in 2014, winning 10 games to reach the ACC championship game and bringing in quarterback Tyler Shough and other transfers to continue Louisville’s run.
Forecast: Clemson 31, Louisville 24
November 9: at Virginia Tech
Totals: The Hokies could either reach the ACC championship game or be a subpar team in the conference, returning to much of their 2023 production and hoping quarterback Kyron Drones progresses as a passer.
Forecast: Virginia Tech 23, Clemson 17
November 16: Pittsburgh
Totals: The Panthers won their fewest games last season under coach Pat Narduzzi, with three. Pitt is hoping for a comeback with new offensive coordinator Kade Bell and the addition of quarterback Nate Yarnell, but is not considered an ACC candidate.
Forecast: Clemson 27, Pitt 20
23 November: Citadel
Totals: The Citadel were winless last season. Under second-year coach Maurice Dayton, things seem to be turning around. They will play against the Tigers again in 2028.
Forecast: Clemson 49, Citadel 10
November 30: South Carolina
Totals: The Gamecocks are less talented than in years past, but anything can happen in a rivalry game. South Carolina has named quarterback LaNorris Sellers its starter and hopes to become bowl eligible after missing the mark in 2023.
Forecast: Clemson 28, South Carolina 10
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Projected Clemson football record in 2024
Clemson finishes the season 9-3 and 6-2 in the ACC.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00