Joel Klatt fights for value in Clemson's national championship odds

Clemson already has the sixth-best odds in the country to win the national championship this season, according to BetMGM. Nonetheless, FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt still believes the bet is worth taking. On Wednesday’s episode of The Joel Klatt Show, Klatt made the case for Clemson winning all in the 2025 campaign.

“My national championship pick is Clemson,” Klatt said. “If you could have gotten this last week, they were +1600. I think it’s moved. Maybe people were watching the episode of me touting Dabo Swinney, their philosophy. They got veterans, they’ve got quality. They’ve got NFL players. They got three of the top 10 players in the sport, according to me.

“You can get them at +1200 right now to win the national championship with Cade Klubnik, after a playoff appearance, after an ACC championship. Listeners know that I love Clemson, and if you can get them at +1200, that’s the sixth best odds in the country. I think that’s a good value if you’re looking at a value bet for the national championship.”

Since Klatt’s show aired on Wednesday, Clemson’s odds have only improved. BetMGM currently has Clemson at +900 odds to win the national title this season.

It’s difficult to blame the oddsmakers for their confidence. Clemson is one of the most experienced teams in the country this year, with 16 total starters returning.

Most notably, the team is bringing back starting quarterback Cade Klubnik, who had a breakout season in 2024, tallying 3,639 passing yards and 36 touchdowns while only throwing six interceptions. His 36 touchdown passes were the third-most in the country last season, only trailing Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders, both of whom have moved onto the next level.

Additionally, Clemson is returning its three leading receivers from last season: Antonio Williams, Bryant Wesco Jr. and TJ Moore. On defense, Clemson hired defensive coordinator Tom Allen this offseason.

Allen was the defensive coordinator at Penn State last season. Under Allen’s supervision, the Nittany Lions gave up just 294.8 yards per game, the seventh-least in the nation. For reference, Clemson’s defense allowed 374.1 yards per game in the 2024 campaign, ranking No. 69 in the country.

To top it off, Clemson has head coach Dabo Swinney leading the charge. Three of the five teams with better odds to win the national championship don’t have a head coach has won it all before.

In contrast, Swinney has led Clemson to two national titles. On Saturday, Clemson will begin its march toward a national title with a showdown against LSU at 7:30 p.m. ET. The game will air live on ABC.