The Clemson Tigers rose in this week’s US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Top 25 poll following their 40-14 victory over the Stanford Cardinal on Saturday night, and now Dabo Swinney and his team are on the move in various college football power rankings and playoff projection models this week.
Beginning at On3, veteran college football writer Andy Staples now lists Clemson as his projected ACC champion. Staples sees the Tigers as the No. 3 overall seed in the 12-team playoff behind his projected SEC and Big Ten champions: the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Ohio State Buckeyes, respectively.
Staples wrote:
” The Tigers keep pounding opponents. Saturday, they beat Stanford 40-14. The season-opening loss to Georgia is still a stain on the schedule, but Clemson has done all it can possibly do since. And if the Tigers keep playing like this, they can win the ACC and snag a first-round bye.”
As a No. 3 seed, Clemson would face the winner of the first round game between the No. 6 seed and No. 11 seed in the Peach Bowl.
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Over at CBS Sports, Clemson moved up one spot in Jerry Palm’s updated bowl/playoff projections. The veteran college sports prognosticator still sees the Miami Hurricanes as ACC champions but moved the Tigers up one spot into the No. 11 seed.
In Palm’s new playoff field after Week 5, he sees Clemson facing the Oregon Ducks in a first round playoff game in Eugene.
Also at CBS Sports, Chip Patterson moved the Tigers up five spots to No. 11 in his ranking of all 134 FBS teams this week.
At The Athletic ($), analyst Chris Vannini moved Clemson up four spots to No. 13 in his 134-team FBS rankings. Vannini argues that, given the way Clemson has played since its 66-20 victory over Appalachian State in Week 2, Georgia’s lopsided season-opening win over the Tigers looks more impressive for Kirby Smart’s team.
Over at ESPN, analysts Chris Low, Bill Connelly, David Hale, Andrea Adelson and others moved the Tigers up three spots to No. 11 in their Week 5 Power Rankings ($) The three teams Clemson jumped past were the Ole Miss Rebels, Utah Utes and Louisville Cardinals — all teams who suffered a loss over the weekend.
Adelson wrote of Clemson:
“The Tigers did not get off to as fast a start on offense as their previous two games, but you would never know it if you just looked at the 40-14 final against Stanford. The Cardinal played Clemson much tougher at the outset, before eventually being worn down. Cade Klubnik scored five total touchdowns and now has 16 touchdowns in the past three wins.
“The defense gave up an uncharacteristic 236 yards rushing (5.4 yards per carry) but made plays when it mattered, including forcing three turnovers and three fourth-down stops. Next up is a trip to Florida State, where former Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei awaits. Clemson sits 2-0 in the ACC with a schedule that looks more manageable by the week.”
At Fox Sports, RJ Young has given Clemson its highest overall Top 25 ranking the past two weeks. After Saturday’s victory, Young moved Clemson into the top 10 of his weekly rankings at No. 10.
Next up on the schedule for the Tigers are the Florida State Seminoles in a prime time 7 p.m. ET kickoff Saturday night at Doak Campbell Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPN.
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