Path to the College Football Playoff, Step 5
Go unbeaten and win the ACC Championship
Yeah, no kidding.
2018 Ohio State was the only one-loss team to win its Power Five conference championship and not make the College Football Playoff in the six year CFP era, and every unbeaten Power Five champ has been in without a problem.
Naturally, if Clemson goes 13-0 and takes its sixth straight ACC title it’ll go on to the playoff no matter what as the No. 1 seed, and No. 2 at worst.
But the door might be open at 12-1, even if it’s just a crack. Worse yet, that door could be wide open if it doesn’t win the ACC Championship.
At least in theory, the past doesn’t matter when it comes to the College Football Playoff committee deciding on who gets in – it’s supposedly a clean slate to start the playoff rankings, and everything starts over each week.
However, if everything appears to be equal, of course the program that managed to win two of the last four national championships is going to get in.
But what if things aren’t equal?
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What if Clemson loses to a Notre Dame team that has a not-that-bad schedule and finishes 11-1 or better?
Always assume the SEC and Big Ten champs will take a spot, and always be concerned that Oklahoma, or an Oregon, or a second SEC or Big Ten team could be lurking.
Again, as long as Clemson has just one loss and takes the ACC Championship there almost certainly won’t be any real concerns – it’ll be almost a lock to get in.
But go 13-0, and the chance of missing out is gone.
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