Clemson’s 2025 season has taken a turn that few saw coming—and David Pollack isn’t holding back. The former ESPN analyst, who picked Dabo Swinney’s team to win the national championship, now says the Tigers are walking the same path as Florida State’s 2024 disaster.
“You know what I learned about Clemson? I learned that they’re this year’s FSU,” Pollack said. “A lot of things to talk about. A lot of positives. A lot of guys returning. A lot of big names. A lot of reasons for hope, and then so far, you’ve been every bit as disappointing as FSU a year ago. Do they go two wins? Maybe not. But right now, there’s not a bigger disappointment in all of college football.”
A Season Unraveling
Florida State went from 13-1 in 2023 to 2-10 in 2024. Clemson didn’t fall quite as far a season ago, returning to the College Football Playoff and winning the ACC. But at 1-3, fresh off a 34-21 loss to Syracuse, Pollack says the comparisons are impossible to ignore.
Clemson’s defense, long a program cornerstone, was the culprit this time. “(Saturday) was the defense,” Pollack said. “We’ve seen the defense play OK in spurts. Either way, man, you’ve got problems. You’ve got a lot of problems. I don’t know which one needs to be fixed first, but gah dog it is not good times and there is not a single person that is all-in in Clemson.”
Looking Ahead
The Tigers hit their open date bruised and battered, with plenty of questions to answer before returning to action at North Carolina on Oct. 4. If Clemson doesn’t steady the ship soon, Pollack’s stinging comparison may feel less like an insult and more like a prophecy.