The gauntlet has been laid! As college football teams gear up for fall camp, ESPN has released its "schedule superlatives" for the 2025 season, and the verdict is clear: the Clemson Tigers have been tabbed with the toughest non-conference schedule in the entire Power 4.
According to ESPN's Chris Low, the Tigers have earned this daunting distinction thanks to a schedule bookended by two of the SEC's toughest programs. "The Tigers open the season Aug. 30 at home against No. 6 LSU, then close the season Nov. 29 on the road against bitter rival South Carolina, which is ranked No. 13," Low wrote.
While the opener against LSU (a primetime "Battle of Death Valleys") is an obvious challenge, Low also highlighted the season finale against the Gamecocks as a major hurdle. The Tigers' non-conference schedule also includes a home game against a Troy team that, despite a 4-8 record in 2024, is still considered a "top contender in the Sun Belt Conference" and could prove to be a dangerous, sneaky opponent early in the season.
This schedule is not for the faint of heart, especially given Clemson's recent history against the SEC. Chris Low pointed out that while Clemson holds an 18-12 record against the conference since 2012, they have lost seven of their past 10 games to SEC opponents, a streak that began with a 42-25 loss to LSU in the 2019 national championship game. This year's slate offers a perfect chance for the Tigers to rewrite that narrative.
The season-opening showdown against LSU will be the first regular-season meeting between the two storied programs, with LSU holding a 3-1 advantage in the all-time series. The Tigers' non-conference slate will truly be a defining test, setting the tone from the very first snap and offering a final rivalry-fueled gut check in the last game of the regular season.
With ESPN placing this kind of weight on Clemson's schedule, it's clear the path to a College Football Playoff berth will be anything but easy. The Tigers are set for a high-stakes, high-wire act all season long, starting with a primetime opener that will have the entire nation watching.