I think you're reading many of them wrong.
People don't like:
a. Lack of discipline- typically a GT strength, been a weakness last 3 years and continuing into today
b. Lack of effort- geez some players took plays off AND still stayed in the game. GT historically never wins when we don't get a full team effort.
c. Bad game management- this is Year 4, hire someone to help if you're not up to the task
These are all leadership related problems, hence all the angst. If we just got whipped by a far physically superior team, well that would be one thing, it's how we're getting beat which is terribly troubling.
As far as who we played is concerned, Clemson playing in any other conference with their starting QB is not a Top 10 team, but they have only 1 real challenge in ND. They'll likely get beat in 1 or 2 others games if they don't solve their weak QB issue. I'm not sold on their D either against top competition looking at how they played last night. Frankly, I'm not sure they're better than their 10-3 last year record & sitting home for conference championship given their lack of edge last night.