Rece Davis, the face of ESPN’s College GameDay, didn’t just buy Clemson stock this summer—he went all in. The veteran broadcaster placed the Tigers at No. 1 in his preseason AP Top 25 ballot and even picked Dabo Swinney’s squad to win it all.
Now, after a rocky 1-2 start, Davis admits he missed the mark.
“I’m going to get mocked,” Davis said on the College GameDay Podcast. “I picked them preseason No. 1. I picked them to win the national championship… So far, those who doubted Clemson were right, and I was wrong.”
What Davis Saw vs. What’s Happened
The optimism was understandable. Davis saw a loaded defensive line with three potential first-round draft picks, a veteran quarterback in Cade Klubnik, and explosive receivers ready to re-establish “WRU.” But through three games, the puzzle hasn’t come together.
“They still have offensive line problems,” Davis said. “They haven’t been able to get around it. None of the stars are dominating like they should. The pieces looked good, but for whatever reason, they haven’t fit together.”
The Road Ahead
Davis noted that losing to LSU and Georgia Tech isn’t shameful, but the bigger concern is Clemson’s lack of execution.
“They haven’t played to their capabilities one time this year,” Davis added. “Not one time.”
With two losses already—including one in the ACC—the margin for error is gone. Clemson now looks to right the ship when Syracuse comes to Death Valley on Saturday at noon.