ESPN has rolled out its updated college football power rankings following the first week of action, and Clemson finds itself still in the mix despite a tough start. The Tigers, who suffered a 34-3 defeat at the hands of No. 1 Georgia, have dropped to No. 24, a significant slide from their preseason spot at No. 15.
Mark Schlabach ofESPN weighed in on Clemson’s struggles, particularly on offense, which looked shaky under the leadership of quarterback Cade Klubnik. Klubnik completed 18 of 29 passes for 142 yards, was sacked twice, and threw an interception. While Antonio Williams showed promise with six receptions for 76 yards, Clemson’s passing attack lacked depth, and the team struggled to convert on third downs, going just 4-for-13.
Running back Phil Mafah managed 59 yards on 16 carries, but overall, Clemson’s offense was stifled by Georgia’s dominant defense. The silver lining? The Tigers likely won’t face another defense of Georgia’s caliber during the regular season. They’ll aim to regroup and improve in their upcoming home game against Appalachian State.
As expected, Georgia maintained its top spot in ESPN’s power rankings, with Ohio State, Texas, Alabama, and Notre Dame rounding out the top five. In the ACC, Miami is the highest-ranked team at No. 9, followed by NC State at No. 22. Georgia Tech also made the cut, landing at No. 25, just behind Clemson.
Clemson will look to bounce back and climb these rankings again.