Dabo Swinney and the Tigers experienced a tough loss last weekend as Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame dominated Swinney’s team 35-14 in South Bend.
It was a brutal showing for the Tigers 8-1 (6-0 ACC), as the team was outcoached and outplayed from start to finish. With the loss, Swinney and Clemson fell in the latest College Football Playoff rankings from No.4 to No.10, with their chances at making the Playoff falling substantially.
Though the Tigers’ odds at a playoff appearance have decreased, Swinney’s team isn’t out of the race yet. Clemson’s path won’t be an easy one, with a lot having to go their way, but the team is one of thirteen teams who are still alive in College Football Playoff race according to USA Today Sports’ Paul Myerberg.
Here’s what Myerberg had to say about the Tigers:
Clemson
Saturday’s loss to Notre Dame has put the Tigers’ playoff hopes on life support. To get back into the semifinals after a one-year absence, the Tigers would need:
- North Carolina to run the table in November and climb in the playoff rankings before meeting the Tigers to decide the ACC;
- LSU to lose to Georgia;
- The Big 12 and Pac-12 champions to have two or more losses.
Should this unfold, Clemson would be the certain fourth seed with Georgia, the Big Ten winner and Tennessee.
Sure, many things have to fall into place for the Tigers to make it back into the top four, but it is possible. Crazier things have happened in sports.
Right now, Swinney and the team need to worry about what they can control and hope the rest falls into place.
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