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By Tyler Everett
Sports Betting Editor
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What a difference a year makes.
After entering the 2024 season as a question mark for Clemson -- and struggling in his team's ugly season-opening 34-3 loss to Georgia -- Tigers QB Cade Klubnik begins his senior year as one of the top three candidates to win the 2025 Heisman Trophy at every sportsbook.
That begs the question: Can Cade Klubnik become the first Heisman Trophy winner in the history of three-time national champ Clemson?*
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Sign Up Now For Newsweek Sports Betting 📩3 min read
Arch Manning Heisman Trophy Betting Odds: Can UT Star Live Up To The Hype?8 min read
Garrett Nussmeier Heisman Trophy Betting Odds: LSU Veteran Among Favorites6 min read
For in-depth takes on Klubnik's competition for this award, check out our breakdowns of 2025 Heisman Trophy betting favorites Arch Manning and Garrett Nussmeier.
*That's right, somehow, neither Deshaun Watson nor Trevor Lawrence won the Heisman Trophy.
Cade Klubnik Heisman Odds (July 28)
Oddsmakers have seen Manning, Nussmeier and Klubnik (in that order, for the most part) as the top Heisman favorites for several weeks. That appears unlikely to change between now and Week 1.
Below are Klubnik's current Heisman Trophy odds at DraftKings, FanDuel, bet365, Caesars, Fanatics and ESPN BET.
Where he ranks in each sportsbook's pecking order is noted in parentheses.
Cade Klubnik Heisman Betting Analysis
Below is a quick look at Klubnik's statistical output a year ago in 14 starts, including both the ACC Championship Game vs. SMU and Clemson's CFP first-round loss to Texas.
As a runner, Klubnik added 463 yards and 7 touchdowns on 119 carries (3.9 yards per carry).
It's hard to compare Klubnik's (or Nussmeier's) stats to Manning's from a year ago since the latter started only two games, but below is a side-by-side look at Klubnik vs. Nussmeier a year ago.
Comparing Cade Klubnik, Garrett Nussmeier's 2024 Passing Stats
Cade Klubnik 2024 Passing Stats
Garrett Nussmeier 2024 Passing Stats
While Nussmeier was slightly more accurate and narrowly edged Klubnik in YPA, Klubnik had a markedly better TD-to-interception ratio.
And Klubnik's six interceptions in 486 attempts gave him one of the best interception rates in the country at just 1.2 percent, while Nussmeier's interception rate was a pedestrian 2.3 percent.
While it's worth noting that Nussmeier faced nine top-50 defenses in 12 regular season games in 2024 (while Klubnik faced just four such defenses in the regular season), that's unlikely to change in 2025.
If anything, the difference in the opposing schedules that LSU and Clemson will face makes Klubnik the better bet, IMO (assuming, of course, that playing the likes of Alabama, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Texas A&M prevents Nussmeier from putting up massive numbers).
Cade Klubnik vs. Top-50 Defenses (per ESPN SP+) In 2024
A year ago, Clemson took on four top-30 defenses, according to ESPN's SP+: Georgia (9) in the opener, SEC foe South Carolina (13) in the regular season finale, SMU in the ACC title game (30) and Texas (2) in the CFP.
Of Clemson's 10 other opponents in 2024, only Virginia Tech (37) and Louisville (42) were top-50, according to SP+.
So yes, Klubnik's 2024 numbers against a schedule that featured eight defenses that were SP+ No. 58 or worse should absolutely be should be taken with a grain of salt.
At the same time, while Clemson went just 2-4 against the six SP+ top-50 defenses it faced in 2024, Klubnik's passing numbers in those games were solid, outside of a couple of rough outings vs. Georgia and Louisville.
Klubnik Poised To Shred Soft ACC Schedule In 2025?
In 2025, even if we assume Week 1 foe LSU and rival South Carolina will both field top-30 defenses (in the case of the former, we're being generous, but that's neither here nor there right now...), it's hard to imagine more than a few of Clemson's conference opponents fielding a top-30 D.
Note: We're sticking with Bill Connelly's widely cited SP+ rankings here.
Last year, 2025 Clemson foes SMU (30), Duke (31) and Louisville (42) were all respectable defensively.
Clemson's other five ACC opponents this year -- BC, FSU, UNC, Georgia Tech and Syracuse -- were all outside of the top 50, though. Each of those five teams also finished below 60th nationally in points allowed per game (25.8 or worse).
Obviously, each team's defensive level can vary tremendously from year to year. At the very least, though, more than half of Clemson's conference opponents are projected to be overmatched against the veteran Tigers offense.
Speaking of which, in addition to having a senior with 1,000-plus career pass attempts under center, this loaded unit in Year 3 under OC Garrett Riley will also feature three proven receivers in Antonio Williams, Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore.
Clemson enters 2025 with the No. 3 ranked receiving corps, per PFF College.
It will also have the No. 10 O-line in the country (also according to PFF College). Experience is everything up front, and Clemson's least experienced projected starter up front, left guard Harris Sewell, has gotten 982 reps over the last two seasons.
Buy Or Sell: Klubnik To Win Heisman Trophy
Buy
Best available odds: +950 (DraftKings) as of July 28
Between his strong supporting cast and what should be a manageable schedule in the ACC (to put it nicely), Klubnik has an excellent chance to improve on his 43-touchdown (36 passing, 7 rushing), 6-interception campaign a year ago.
Following Caleb Williams' Heisman-winning season for 11-3 USC in 2022, Jayden Daniels winning the award for 10-3 LSU in 2023 and Travis Hunter winning it on a 9-4 Colorado team last year, it's clear that a 10-win season by his team is more than enough for a player to contend for the Heisman.
With that in mind, as long as the Tigers once again take care of business in the ACC, Klubnik has a real chance of at least being invited to New York for the Heisman ceremony.
Given that Clemson -- which is heavily favored to win the ACC and currently one of eight teams listed at 14-to-1 or shorter at FanDuel to win the national title -- the floor for Klubnik and the Tigers more than justifies a Heisman bet right now.
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