Dabo Swinney has been building something special at Clemson for a long time, but the 2025 season might be his best shot in years to add another national championship to his resume.
With an unparalleled amount of returning production, the Tigers are in prime position to dominate the college football landscape. If there was ever a year for Swinney to reassert his program at the top, this is it.
ESPN’s Bill Connelly, creator of the SP+ model, recently released his rankings for returning production in 2025, and Clemson stands alone at No. 1.
The Clemson Tigers are the only team bringing back at least 80% of their total production, which could give them a serious advantage over the other top programs in the country.
Most returning production heading into the 2025 season (via ESPN) 📊
1. Clemson (81%)
2. Arizona State (79%)
3. Illinois (76%)
4. Texas Tech (75%)
5. Kennesaw State (73%)
6. Texas A&M (71%)
7. Rutgers (71%)
8. Vanderbilt (70%)
9. Boise State (69%)
10. Oklahoma (69%) pic.twitter.com/bh9lsfPu4g— CFB Kings (@CFBKings) February 24, 2025
A Loaded Roster Ready to Compete
Clemson’s returning production is impressive on both sides of the ball. Offensively, they bring back a ton of firepower, led by quarterback Cade Klubnik, who made significant strides last season. The Tigers will have to find a replacement for Phil Mafah in the backfield, but Klubnik’s receiving corps is stacked with proven playmakers like Antonio Williams, Bryant Wesco Jr., and T.J. Moore. A healthy Tyler Brown, who missed a chunk of the 2024 season due to injury, will only add more firepower to an already potent attack.
