3 opponents we want to see on Clemson schedule with new ACC, Big Ten, Pac-12 alliance
On Tuesday, the ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 announced a new alliance between the conferences.
According to the official announcement, the new alliance includes scheduling inter-conference games in football, women’s basketball and men’s basketball, as well as collaborative efforts between the conferences when it comes to topics like gender equity, the future structure of the NCAA and federal legislative efforts, among others.
When it comes to scheduling, Clemson already has a full non-conference slate through 2026, three opponents each in 2027 and 2028, and two games in each year from 2029 through 2037. Still, here are three teams from the Pac-12 and Big Ten that would be fun to see Clemson play regularly:
Ohio State
Too soon? Despite the Buckeyes manhandling the Tigers in the College Football Playoff semifinals in 2020, there’s no denying how amazing of an atmosphere these two fanbases would provide if they played regularly.
Not only that, but much like Clemson, Ohio State is a regular national championship contender and almost always ranked in the top 10 every year. Getting a home-and-home series would help bolster the Tigers’ strength of schedule.
If it helps, the Tigers are 4-1 in the series and have outscored the Buckeyes 145-122.
Oregon
A quick media guide search revealed that Clemson has never ventured to Eugene, Oregon — or anywhere for that matter — to play the Ducks. In fact, the Tigers have only played a Pac-12 opponent five times in the program’s history.
The one year the Tigers didn’t make the College Football Playoff, 2015, was the year the Ducks stamped their ticket to the postseason before falling to Ohio State in the national championship game 42-20.
Since Mario Cristobal became the head coach of the Ducks in 2018, the squad has scored less than 20 points only five times and averaged 34.29 points per game, which would be a fun challenge for Clemson’s defense.
If the ACC and Pac-12 want to strengthen their ties, this would be a good candidate for doing so. Oregon also ranked 11th in the Associated Press preseason poll this year.
University of Southern California
This is about nothing, if not, tradition.
While the Trojans have fallen on hard times, the Los Angeles-based university has 11 claimed national championships, all prior to the current CFP model, and is home to six Heisman winners, not counting Reggie Bush vacating the award in 2010.
Southern California, the No. 15 team in the AP preseason rankings, is looking to turn a new leaf and get back to its former glory under Clay Helton’s tutelage. In a pandemic-shortened season in 2020, the Trojans went 5-1 with their only loss being to Oregon in the Pac-12 championship game. It was their first conference championship appearance since 2017.
