The Clemson Tigers come into the 2019 season as the defending national champions, and they should have a great chance to repeat this season. Clemson and Alabama have been battling for the top spot in the country over the last few years, and early projections have those two teams meeting up in the national title game again this season. The Tigers have a Heisman Trophy frontrunner at quarterback in Trevor Lawrence, and their defense should be terrific again. Clemson fans are extremely optimistic about the chances of winning a second straight National Championship, and it’s for very good reason.
Clemson rattled off a perfect 15-0 season in 2018, and they dominated almost every single opponent that they played. The Tigers were a perfect 8-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and they haven’t gotten much competition from their conference rivals. Clemson went 0-3 against the spread to kick off the 2018 season, but then rattled off a ton of wins. The Tigers will be the favorite in every game they play up until the College Football Playoff.
Key Moves in Offseason
The 2019 Clemson program will look a lot like the 2018 season, but they did lose a number of players to the NFL. Losing Dexter Lawrence and a few other starters on the defensive line is a huge blow to the Tigers team, but they have reloaded with a bunch of young talent. Dabo Swinney is still at the helm for Clemson, and he has proven himself to be one of the top coaches in the country.
2019 Schedule
Week 1: Georgia Tech
Week 2: Texas A&M
Week 3: at Syracuse
Week 4: Charlotte
Week 5: at North Carolina
Week 6: Bye
Week 7: Florida State
Week 8: at Louisville
Week 9: Boston College
Week 10: Wofford
Week 11: at N.C. State
Week 12: Wake Forest
Week 13: Bye
Week 14: at South Carolina
Key Players
Trevor Lawrence: Trevor Lawrence comes into the 2019 season as one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy, and he should be in for a monster sophomore campaign. Lawrence threw for 30 touchdowns and just four interceptions in 2018 and can also beat you with his legs. The sophomore ran for 177 yards last season, but the Tigers don’t want him getting hurt trying to extend plays.
Travis Etienne: Etienne ran for close to 1,700 yards a season ago and found the end zone 26 times. The junior will be back at Clemson this season and should see plenty of carries as the Tigers will be winning almost every game they play. Etienne has the skills to come out of nowhere and win the Heisman Trophy.
Isaiah Simmons: The Tigers lost a ton of talent off of their defensive line, but they still have a stud linebacker in Isaiah Simmons. Simmons had a team-high 88 tackles a season ago and is a run-stopper in the middle of the Clemson defense.
Betting Props
Vegas Win Total: 11.0 Wins
Odds to Win National Championship: Clemson Tigers +225 (First)
Odds to Win 2019 Heisman Trophy: Trevor Lawrence +300 (Second)
2019 Predictions/Best Bets to Make
The Clemson Tigers are going to be great again this season, and they should run through the regular season with another perfect record. The Tigers don’t really have much competition in the ACC, and they should reach the College Football Playoff again this season. Even though Clemson will have to go undefeated to go over the Vegas win total, it is still the right bet. Placing a bet on the Tigers to win the national championship at +225 is also a solid bet to make. Trevor Lawrence should have another monster season for the Tigers, and it would be wise to bet on him at +300 to win the Heisman Trophy.