This is the first year of the newly expanded playoffs. Eight more teams will compete to play in the national championship game on January 20, 2025. No other is breathing a sigh of relief more than Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers.
To quote the great American track and field athlete, Jesse Owens, “One chance is all you need.” After a down year, that’s all the Tigers are asking for: a chance. All they need is an opportunity to be in the playoffs and play against teams from across the country. The Sporting News predicts that Clemson will get that chance.
In his 2024 Bowl projections, Bill Bender of Sporting News predicts Clemson to face Alabama in Tuscaloosa on December 20 as the No. 9 seed. “Alabama and Clemson – which met in the four-team CFP era four times – fittingly start the 12-team CFP era in a battle of at-large teams. Dabo Swinney has to go to Tuscaloosa for that one,” writes Bender.
Unfortunately, Bender predicts Clemson will lose in the first round. Even if that’s the case, making the playoffs should at least relieve some of the pressure on Dabo Swinney after his ardent stance on the transfer portal.
Here is how Bender predicts the rest of the playoffs to play out:
First Round
| Dec. 20 | First-Round CFP game | No. 9 Clemson at No. 8 Alabama |
| Dec. 21 | First-Round CFP game | No. 12 Memphis at No. 5 Texas |
| Dec. 21 | First-Round CFP game | No. 10 Ole Miss at No. 7 Oregon |
| Dec. 21 | First-Round CFP game | No. 11 Michigan at No. 6 Notre Dame |
Quarterfinals
| Dec. 31 | Vrbo Fiesta Bowl (quarterfinal) | No. 3 Utah vs. No. 6 Notre Dame |
| Jan. 1 | Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl (quarterfinal) | No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 8 Alabama |
| Jan. 1 | Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential (quarterfinal) | No. 2 Ohio St vs. No. 7 Oregon |
| Jan. 1 | Allstate Sugar Bowl (quarterfinal) | No. 4 Florida St vs. No. 5 Texas |
Semifinals
| Jan. 9 | Capital One Orange Bowl (semifinal) | No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 5 Texas |
| Jan. 10 | Cotton Bowl Classic (semifinal) | No. 2 Ohio St vs. No. 6 Notre Dame |
Championship game
| Jan. 20 | CFP National championship | No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 2 Ohio St |