Clemson Tigers vs. Stanford Cardinal on College Football Expert’s Week 5 playlist

We have already seen both extremes from the Clemson Tigers through the first three games of the 2024 college football season.

In Week 1 we saw how ugly things can get when they don’t work well. As the offense faltered, the defense ultimately fell to the Georgia Bulldogs in a brutal 34-3 loss that left head coach Dabo Swinney’s future in doubt.

The following week we experienced the extreme in the opposite direction.

The Tigers defeated the Appalachian State Mountaineers, one of the top G5 programs in the country, 66-20. Quarterback Cade Klubnik had a historic performance with a total of seven touchdowns; five through the air and two on the ground.

That’s exactly how a team wants to start a bye week, as Clemson had a lot of positive momentum. They expanded even more when they returned to the field in Week 4 in their ACC opener against the NC State Wolfpack.

The offense once again put in an incredible performance. Klubnik scored another four times, while running back Phil Mafah added 107 yards and three touchdowns on the ground on just seven carries.

The result was another convincing victory, 59-35.

Now the Tigers face one of the conference’s new schools, the Stanford Cardinal. This game is so intriguing that it was included in ESPN’s Bill Connelly’s Week 5 playlist as a game to keep an eye on.

“Last Friday night, Stanford pulled off an entertaining surprise in Syracuse, 2,800 miles from home. Eight days later, The Cardinal will play 2,600 miles away in Death Valley East. With mobile quarterback Ashton Daniels, receiver Elic Ayomanor and extremely willing four-down tendencies, they are unique. But if the last two games are any indication, Clemson isn’t expecting a surprise loss right now. “The Tigers have had a devastating performance since their loss to Georgia in Week 1,” Connelly wrote.

Stanford’s introduction to the ACC went well, defeating Syracuse 26-24 at the JMA Wireless Dome. This trip is not for the tired, so it will be interesting to see what they have left in the tank.

Will this offensive performance continue for Clemson, who enters the game as heavy favorites? Or will Stanford’s offense do enough to keep the Tigers’ defense on the field and wear them down?

It’s an interesting collision of different playing styles. The Cardinals are looking to solidify their status as the top team in the conference, while Clemson is looking to re-establish its status as the big dog at the top.