College Football HQ

Joel Klatt walks back preseason college football national championship pick

Georgia Tech rushed its field-goal unit onto the field and Aidan Birr made a 55-yard fire-drill kick as time ran out.
Patrick Previty|
Joel Klatt
Joel Klatt | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt appeared to abandon his preseason national championship pick on Saturday after No. 12 Clemson fell to Georgia Tech on a last-second, 55-yard field goal. "Well, I guess I need to adjust off that Clemson NC pre-season pick," Klatt posted on X shortly after the Yellow Jackets’ 24–21 win at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

Klatt had publicly planted his flag with the Tigers in August with Clemson as his preseason pick to win the national championship.

Joel Klatt preseason playoff bracket predictions

  1. Penn State
  2. Texas
  3. Clemson
  4. Ohio State
  5. Georgia
  6. Oregon
  7. Notre Dame
  8. Kansas State
  9. Alabama
  10. LSU
  11. Michigan
  12. Boise State

With the clock running and no timeouts, Georgia Tech rushed its field-goal unit onto the field and Aidan Birr drilled a 55-yard fire-drill kick as time expired. The upset ended Clemson’s nine-game series winning streak and pushed Tech to 3–0 behind quarterback Haynes King.

While Klatt made his pick prior to the start of the season, the signs of Clemson faltering were clear from the jump. The Tigers opened with a 17–10 home loss to LSU, mustering just 31 rushing yards on 20 attempts. They then needed a second-half surge to escape Troy 27–16 a week later. On Saturday in Atlanta, they fell behind 13–0, rallied to two second-half leads behind Cade Klubnik’s rushing score and a strike to Bryant Wesco Jr., and were tied at 21–21 before Birr’s winner. Through three games, Clemson sits 1–2, and despite all three being decided in the fourth quarter — the Tigers haven't exactly played inspiring football.

Klatt had already signaled concern earlier in the week, but he still picked the Tigers to win this week, 31-17. He described it as a "get-right" spot for Clemson and Dabo Swinney. After going down early it was clear that it would not be that type of game for them.

Cade Klubnik’s play has been full of inconsistencies that have the Tigers at 1–2. The senior is 52-of-88 passing (59.1%) for 633 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions, and he’s added 59 rushing yards and a score on 30 attempts. Klubnik went 19-for-38 for 230 yards with one interception in the 17–10 loss to LSU. He then went 18-for-24 for 196 yards and two touchdowns (one pick) as Clemson rallied past Troy, 27–16. Then, in the loss to GT, he posted 15-for-26 for 207 passing yards, 62 rushing yards and a rushing TD on 17 carries.

Cade Klubnik
Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Clemson returns home next week to host Syracuse on Sept. 20. October brings back-to-back road trips to North Carolina (Oct. 4) and Boston College (Oct. 11), followed by a return to Memorial Stadium for SMU (Oct. 18). The Tigers then close with four of six at home: Duke (Nov. 1), Florida State (Nov. 8), a Friday night visit to Louisville (Nov. 14), Furman (Nov. 22), and the rivalry trip to South Carolina (Nov. 29)

Published
Patrick Previty
PATRICK PREVITY

In addition to writing for On SI, Patrick is also a site expert for Canes Warning and has previously written for outlets such as Betsided, Orlando Magic Daily and Southbound and Down. He serves as a sideline reporter for ESPN+, covering UCF athletics and the Big 12 Conference. In 2024, he hosted a live, on-site UCF football pregame show that aired on ESPN+. Patrick has interviewed numerous figures in the college sports world, ranging from players to UCF’s athletic director. Recently, he traveled to Mobile, Ala., to cover the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl, where he spoke with multiple NFL Draft prospects. Patrick also hosts coverage of the Orlando Magic for Digest Media on YouTube and has become one of the leading voices on the team in the region. Patrick also helps run the social media department for The Voice of College Football Network, focusing on breaking news and digital storytelling. Patrick previously spent time at CNN in the sports department, where he assisted with CNN’s World Sport show and Bleacher Report updates for morning programming. Hailing from the Tampa Bay Area, Patrick is a lifelong fan of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Rays, Tampa Bay Lightning, Orlando Magic and UCF Knights.

Home/News