Though Clemson returns the best roster in the ACC this coming football season, the Tigers also possess one of the most difficult schedules in the league.

With star players such as quarterback Cade Klubnik, wide receiver Antonio Williams, defensive tackle Peter Woods, defensive end T.J. Parker and defensive tackle DeMonte Capehart, among others coming back, Clemson is considered to be the team to beat in the ACC this coming season.

However, for the Tigers to repeat as ACC Champions and make it to a second straight College Football Playoff, they will have to maneuver through a schedule that consists of six opponents that won nine or more games in 2024. They also must face three other teams that made it to post-season bowl games.

It’s not like Clemson gets to ease its way into the schedule either. Of course, it was already announced the Tigers will host LSU to open the season at Memorial Stadium, a.k.a. the original Death Valley in College Football.

The Bayou Bengals are expected to be a top 10 team when they come to Clemson on Aug. 30 and will be led by Heisman Trophy candidate Garrett Nussmeier.

LSU is not the only challenge the Tigers have in the first six weeks of the season. Clemson also travels to Georgia Tech, to take on a Yellow Jackets team that has improved in each of Brent Key’s first two full seasons in Atlanta.

On Friday, the ACC announced the Tigers will go to Georgia Tech on Sept. 13 to open ACC play. Last year was the first time since 1982, Clemson and Georgia Tech did not meet on the grid iron. Haynes King returns at quarterback for Tech after throwing for 2,842 yards and 25 TDs, to go along with 700 rushing yards and 10 more TDs.

Clemson has won its last nine meetings against Georgia Tech and 12 of the last 15 in the series. The Tigers have won four straight games over the Jackets in Atlanta, including three in a row at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

Following the Georgia Tech game, the Tigers come home to Death Valley to take on Fran Brown and the Syracuse Orange. The Orange is coming off its best season since 2018, as they posted a 10-3 record last year, which included an upset win over then No. 6 Miami in the regular season finale, allowing the Tigers to advance to the ACC Championship Game instead of the Hurricanes.

Then on Oct. 4, Clemson heads to Baby Blue Land to take on North Carolina in Bill Belichick’s first ACC game. This should be an interesting contest, as one of college football’s greatest coaches in Dabo Swinney takes on arguably the greatest to ever coach in the NFL.

I am sure all the former North Carolina stars will come out for this game, especially if the Tigers manage to come in undefeated and ranked in the top 5. The Tar Heels will likely be undefeated, as they play a much easier schedule in the first half of the season than Clemson.

Something to note, and the ACC will release the full conference schedule this coming Monday night, but UNC plays all four of its non-conference games prior to hosting Clemson, so the Tar Heels definitely have a bye week before the Clemson game.

We will learn Clemson’s bye weeks on Monday.

Clemson games still to be announced by the ACC are road matchups at Boston College and Louisville, and home games against Duke, Florida State and SMU. Of course, as previously announced, the Tigers host Furman on Nov. 22 and play at rival South Carolina on Nov. 29.