The 2021 season was a change of pace for the Clemson Tigers. For the first time since 2014, the team failed to reach the ACC Championship Game or the College Football Playoff. It also ended their streak of six consecutive conference titles, the then longest in the FBS.

Now, 15th-year head coach Dabo Swinney will have the difficult task of taking the Tigers back to the top of the college football world.

Defensive tackle Bryan Bresee is back this season. He missed most of last season with injury. He is currently listed as the No. 13 player is college football by ESPN. Even though he torn his ACL in just the fourth game of 2021, he still earned All-ACC Third Team honors, showing how dominant he is on defense.

With Bresee returning to Clemson, the defense should once again hold their own. But the offense presents its own questions.

Clemson Football Biggest X-Factor of the 2022 College Football Season

RB Will Shipley

Despite the disappointing 2021 season, there were some bright spots for Clemson. Perhaps the biggest one was Will Shipley. The Tigers running back had 149 carries for 739 yards and 11 touchdowns,. He also had 16 receptions for 116 yards. Shipley averaged 27.1 yards on 14 kickoff returns as well.