Rece Davis talks Clemson D, makes ACC predictions & comments on whether Tigers will return to playoff

By Staff Reports | July 2, 2022 4:09 pm ET Follow @clemsoninsider

ESPN College GameDay host Rece Davis recently joined the Gramlich and Mac Lain podcast with Kelly Gramlich and Eric Mac Lain.

At the end of the podcast, Gramlich and Mac Lain did a rapid-fire question-and-answer segment with Davis, diving into some different ACC topics.

One of the questions Davis was asked is which defense he believes will be the ACC’s best this season.

“I would go Clemson by a hair over Pittsburgh,” Davis said. “I think the front seven is really strong. I know it’ll be a little bit different, but I remember seeing Dabo at the National Football Foundation and asking him what he was going to do at DC, and he goes, ‘Everybody’s going to think Swinney’s crazy again, but I got this guy,’ and he was telling me about Wes Goodwin. So, I have a lot of confidence that they’ll be an excellent defense. So, I’ll go with Clemson just by a hair over Pitt.”

Davis was also asked which teams he thinks will win the ACC’s Coastal and Atlantic Divisions this season, who he sees claiming the conference crown – and whether he envisions Clemson returning to the College Football Playoff in 2022.

“Miami’s probably the most talented roster. I worry a little bit about (Pittsburgh quarterback) Kedon Slovis’ health,” Davis said in regard to his Coastal Division prediction. “But I’m going to do the dumbest thing — with the right to change my mind by the time August comes — but as we sit here in June, the dumbest thing ever is to pick someone to repeat in that division, but I’m going to go with Pitt. I’m going to say with the defense and even with the changes that they’ve had on offense and the loss of (wide receiver) Jordan Addison (transfer to Southern Cal), I’ll go with Pitt.”

Added Davis regarding his Atlantic Division prediction: “I’m going to go back to Clemson, and I think Clemson will win the ACC. The one team I haven’t mentioned and quarterback that I didn’t mention, that I like both of them, is North Carolina State. I really like Devin Leary, I think NC State has a chance, but I will go with the overall talent base at Clemson. I think Clemson will win the ACC and will probably make the playoff.”

You can watch Davis’ full interview with Mac Lain and Gramlich below:

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