Syracuse pulled off one of the biggest shockers of 2025 by beating Clemson in Death Valley. Now the Tigers get a shot at payback on the road.
Bush’s Picks
CLEMSYR
CLEMSYR
OverUnder
Best BetClemson
Clemson brings the deeper, more talented roster into this one, anchored by a defense with 3 preseason All-ACC picks — that's a real edge over a Syracuse team still sorting out its quarterback room. The revenge angle only adds motivation after last year's upset loss in Death Valley. Syracuse's ceiling depends entirely on which QB wins the job and how fast that offense gels, which is a lot to bank on against Clemson's front seven.
Clemson
+3 preseason All-ACC defenders, including DPOY pick Sammy Brown
+Deep, top-ranked 2026 signing class
+Jarvis Green, Jay Haynes back from injury
−QB battle between Vizzina and Reynolds unresolved
−Lost 4 offensive line starters
−Swinney facing real hot-seat pressure after 7-6 season
Syracuse
+Already beat Clemson in Death Valley last season
+Highest-ranked recruiting class in program history
+Fran Brown enters Year 3 with continuity
−Collapsed to 1-7 in ACC after Angeli's injury
−No clear starting QB as of camp
−Projected 15th of 17 in preseason ACC poll
This one's got some venom in it. Clemson comes off its worst season since 2010, a 7-6 finish capped by a Pinstripe Bowl loss to Penn State, and Syracuse was part of the reason why — the Orange won 34-21 in Clemson last September, their first-ever victory in Death Valley. Dabo Swinney's team gets a chance to even the score on Syracuse's turf this time, on Friday, November 6, with a lot more than pride riding on it for both programs.
Clemson's defense is the reason anyone still takes this team seriously. Will Heldt, Sammy Brown and Ashton Hampton all landed on preseason All-ACC teams, with Brown tabbed as the league's preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The offense is the question mark — Christopher Vizzina and true freshman Tait Reynolds are still fighting for the starting job, and some outlets expect Clemson to open the season rotating both. An unsettled quarterback room and an offensive line that lost 4 starters aren't exactly the recipe for a bounce-back year, and it's part of why Swinney is under real pressure for the first time in his tenure.
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Syracuse's collapse last season was almost entirely about one thing: when Steve Angeli went down with a leg injury after that Clemson upset, the offense disappeared and the Orange stumbled to 1-7 in ACC play. Fran Brown spent the offseason rebuilding the quarterback room from scratch through the portal, but as of camp there's still no clear starter. The silver lining is the No. 1 recruiting class in program history, headlined by 5-star receiver Calvin Russell III, which at least points to better days ahead even if 2026 is still a rebuilding year.
Clemson Tigers
Oct 30?@ Florida State—
Oct 16?vs Charleston Southern—
Oct 2?vs Miami—
Sep 25?@ California—
Sep 19?vs North Carolina—
Sep 12?vs Georgia Southern—
Sep 5?@ LSU—
Syracuse Orange
Oct 30?vs SMU—
Oct 16?vs Louisville—
Oct 9?@ Virginia—
Oct 3?@ UConn—
Sep 17?@ Pittsburgh—
Sep 12?vs California—
Sep 5?vs New Hampshire—
Recent form.
Nobody outside the Syracuse locker room is picking the Orange to be good this year — USA Today's preseason ACC poll slots them 15th of 17 teams, while Clemson checks in at 4th despite the down year. That gap in expectations makes some sense given the roster gap on paper, but it's worth remembering Syracuse was a live underdog in that Death Valley win too. Brown's group has already shown it can play spoiler against Clemson when its quarterback situation is settled; the difference this time is that the QB question marks are back for both sides.
Clemson Tigers
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Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Syracuse Orange
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Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Injury report — info via ESPN.
Clemson enters this one as the more talented roster on paper, and Swinney knows exactly what happened the last time these two met. Getting revenge in the Carrier Dome would go a long way toward settling some of the hot-seat noise that's followed him since the Pinstripe Bowl loss. For Syracuse, this is about proving last year's win wasn't a fluke — even in a season that already looks like a step back before it steps forward again.
