The hype and hope surrounding the Clemson Tigers were at their peak before the season began. They were a top 10 team in the preseason AP Top 25 poll. Now, just two weeks in, Dabo Swinney and Cade Klubnik's team has had its weaknesses exposed.
The season opener loss to LSU was somewhat expected given the strength of the opponent. But the Week 2 game raised eyebrows. On Saturday against the Troy Trojans, they were exposed and had to work hard to secure a win. They avoided a loss that would have been embarrassing.
Two weeks into the 2025 season, Clemson's potential appears to be falling short, according to CBS Sports' David Cobb.
After the shaky 27-16 victory over Troy, Cobb assigned Clemson a C- grade, highlighting problems in the first half. "Clemson looked grossly incompetent in the first half against Troy as Trojans quarterback Goose Crowder outplayed Cade Klubnik," Cobb wrote.
Despite rallying in the second half for a comeback win, the performance left lingering doubts.
"Two weeks in, it feels like the ceiling and floor on Clemson are much lower than originally believed," Cobb added.
Struggling performances have negatively impacted Clemson's ranking.
Clemson has dropped again in the latest AP Top 25 Poll, released on Sunday. The Tigers fell to No. 12, down from No. 8 after Week 1. They were ranked No. 4 in the preseason AP Poll.