We'll get more in-depth on Clemson later this week, but if you're curious why the Tigers are suddenly a national title contender, here's an easy answer: the re-built their defense even though they lost a lot of personnel to the professional ranks. This Clemson defense is still really good:
| Clemson Defense | Opp. Yds/Play | Opp. Yds/Rush | Opp. Yds/Pass Att. |
| 2015 | 4.1 | 2.9 | 5.9 |
Five of Clemson's top six tacklers last season were seniors.