Tag: 2023 college football playoff

Clemson’s College Football Playoff hopes are still alive

Swinney and the Tigers still have a chance at the College Football Playoff.

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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Clemson was labeled “overrated” once again

Clemson is getting a lot of attention for being “Overrated” once again.

Dabo Swinney and Clemson rank as the No.4 ranked team in the first College Football Playoff rankings, and it is safe to say that many people are unhappy with the committee’s choice. 

The Tigers are undefeated at 8-0 (6-0 ACC), remaining one of the few undefeated teams remaining in the country though the team hasn’t been getting the respect some other undefeated teams have. While the committee believes Clemson, at this point, is a playoff team, a majority of the college football world thinks Swinney’s team is overrated and other undefeated teams such as No.5 Michigan and No.7 TCU, are more deserving of the final spot. 

At this point, Clemson being overrated seems to be a yearly thing, though we know Dabo loves being an underdog. In CBS Sports College Football Playoff Rankings reactions, analyst Barrett Sallee highlighted Clemson among the group of overrated teams in the rankings. 

Here’s what Sallee had to say about the Tigers: 

Overrated: Clemson

It’s been hard to pin down the identity of the Tigers this season. One game, they look like world-beaters. The next, they look like pretenders. Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei has significantly improved from last year but is still nowhere near the superstar he was touted to be when he came out of high school. Matter of fact, the last time we saw the Tigers, Uiagalelei was benched in favor of heralded freshman Cade Klubnik.

They have wins over No. 20 Syracuse, No. 21 Wake Forest and No. 22 NC State, which is nice but not terribly noteworthy. The out-of-conference schedule so far has been Furman and Louisiana Tech, which doesn’t do much to bolster the Tigers’ case. Clemson got in the top four because of its history of success in the CFP era. In reality, it’s impossible to trust this team through the eight-game sample.

There are many reasons why people like to come after Clemson for being overrated yearly, and a lot of it has to do with the ACC and who they play weekly. The Tigers have three wins over teams ranked in the top 25, and the ACC was well-represented in the first batch of Playoff rankings, with five teams making an appearance.

Is there some merit to having Michigan over Clemson? Absolutely. Do I believe Clemson isn’t worthy of the No.4 ranking? Of course not.

This season, Swinney’s team isn’t close to a finished product, whether the Clemson haters around the country want to believe that. Swinney and the Tigers have a big opportunity to make a statement for themselves and the ACC this season.

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Clemson and the ACC are big winners of the first College Football Playoff rankings

Clemson and the ACC came out of the first College Football Playoff rankings looking good.

Dabo Swinney and the Tigers are undefeated with an 8-0 (6-0 ACC) record and remain one of the only six unbeaten teams in the country. 

Though the team is undefeated, many around the country don’t believe Clemson is one of the best teams in college football. However, the College Football Playoff Committee felt differently, ranking Clemson at No.4 in the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season. 

This ranking surprised many with expectations that Michigan, who ranks No.4 in the Coaches and AP Polls, was expected to get the nod over Clemson, with others believing another undefeated team in TCU was worthy of the final spot in the top four. Instead, it was Clemson who has done enough so far for the committee to deem them a playoff team so far. 

This ranking was a big win for not only Clemson but the ACC as a whole, as their top dog in Clemson is in a strong position while the rest of the conference is represented well in the rankings. According to Paul Myerberg of USA Today Sports, Clemson and the ACC are among the biggest winners of the first College Football Playoff rankings.

Here’s what Myerberg had to say about the team and the conference: 

Clemson and the ACC

It wasn’t as bad for the ACC as believed heading into the rankings, beginning with the fact that Clemson came in ahead of Michigan to round out the top four. With the easiest remaining schedule of any of the top playoff contenders, the Tigers have to feel very positive about their chances of returning to the semifinals after a one-year absence. Clemson coming in at No. 4 is due to wins against three other ACC teams in the rankings: No. 20 Syracuse, No. 21 Wake Forest and No. 22 North Carolina State. (North Carolina was the fifth ACC representative at No. 17.) The committee respects the top third of the conference and how Clemson has risen to the top of the league.

The ACC is getting the credit they deserve as a conference is significant for the Tigers as they genuinely control their own fate. After seeing these first rankings, there is no reason to believe an undefeated Clemson team won’t make the College Football Playoff.

If the Tigers drop one game, however, things will get a lot more interesting, with Clemson the likelihood of not making the playoff increasing substantially. It is win and get in for Swinney and Clemson.

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Clemson is a playoff team in the first College Football Playoff rankings

Here’s where Clemson stands in the first College Football Playoff rankings.

Football Playoff Selection Committee announced its first set of top 25 rankings on Tuesday night, with Clemson being given recognition for their season so far.

The Tigers 8-0 (6-0 ACC) have been good enough this season to earn the No.4 ranking in the first College Football Playoff rankings of the 2022 season. Currently ranked No.5 in both the Coaches Poll and AP Poll, Clemson being undefeated and the top dog in the ACC has given them the early nod over some other close competitors.

The top four are a surprise No.1 Tennessee, No.2 Ohio State, and No.3 Georgia. The teams on Clemson’s trail consist of No.5 Michigan, No.6 TCU, No.7 Alabama, and No.8 Oregon. Clemson is in control of its own fate, as an undefeated season would cement them in the playoff after seeing these initial rankings.

The Tigers will need to show up on the road this week against Notre Dame in South Bend to keep their spot near the top of the rankings.
Here is a look at the full top 25 for the first College Football Playoff rankings:

CFP Top 25 Rankings 11/1

1. Tennessee

2. Ohio State

3. Georgia

4. Clemson

5. Michigan

6. Alabama

7. TCU

8. Oregon

9. Southern Cal

10. LSU

11. Ole Miss

12. UCLA

13. Kansas State

14. Utah

15. Penn State

16. Illinois

17. North Carolina

18. Oklahoma State

19. Tulane

20. Syracuse

21. Wake Forest

22. NC State

23. Oregon State

24. Texas

25. UCF

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Orange Bowl predicted as likely landing spot for Clemson in 2022

Clemson has appeared in the Orange Bowl six times in program history, and one analyst believes the Tigers could return for a seventh appearance in 2022.

With the 2022 college football season under 100 days away, Clemson is primed to make a run in hopes of returning to the College Football Playoff (CFP) after missing out on it last season for the first time since the 2014-2015 season.

Although Clemson has the fourth-best preseason odds to win the CFP this upcoming season, there is no guarantee of a birth to one of the two semifinal games. For one analyst, he believes Clemson will miss out on the CFP but will still play in a prestigious bowl game.

Here’s why 247Sports’ Brad Crawford believes the Tigers will play in the Orange Bowl.

Projected matchup: Clemson vs. Wisconsin

Rarely do we see never-before-played matchups during bowl season in the marquee games, but that could happen this season if projected ACC champion Clemson falls short of qualifying for the College Football Playoff with a loss or two. It’s going to likely take an unbeaten team from the ACC to undoubtedly secure a final-four berth and the Tigers’ schedule has several iffy matchups. Wisconsin, as a division winner in the Big Ten at potentially 10-3 overall with a loss to Ohio State in the league title game, gets the nod here. Wisconsin underachieved last season and Paul Chryst’s veteran-led squad won’t let that happen again in 2022.

To Crawford’s point, Clemson will need to go at least 11-1 in the regular season to potentially earn a spot in the CFP. However, with an away matchup with Notre Dame and home matchups with Miami and North Carolina State, the Tigers may not have as easy of a schedule as in years past.

If Crawford’s prediction rings true, that would mean Clemson would play Wisconsin on Dec. 30 in Miami, Florida, at Hard Rock Stadium.

Clemson last played in the Orange Bowl in the 2015-2016 season when the Tigers defeated Oklahoma 37-17 to advance to the CFP National Championship. Head coach Dabo Swinney and the Tigers also defeated Ohio State in the Orange Bowl in the 2013 season.

In its six appearances, Clemson boasts a 4-2 record in the Orange Bowl, dating back to the Tigers’ first appearance in 1951.

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Outlining Clemson’s path to the College Football Playoff

Clemson can return to the College Football Playoff in 2023, but the Tigers must first go through trials and tribulations during the regular season, which could be full of surprises.

For the first time since 2015, Clemson failed to receive a bid to the College Football Playoff last year, and now the Tigers are looking to return in the 2022 season.

Opening up against Georiga Tech on Sept. 5, Clemson doesn’t have the most daunting schedule, but a path to the Playoff is no easy feat.

Unlike last season, Clemson will not have to play a powerhouse SEC school in Georgia; however, an away Nov. 5 matchup with Notre Dame still poses a significant threat. Add in some deceivingly tough ACC games, and Clemson’s road to being selected as a Playoff team becomes even more difficult.

Here’s what Heather Dinich had to say about Clemson’s path to the Playoff via ESPN.

Preseason FPI: No. 4
Preseason SP+: No. 5
Chance to win conference: 59%
Chance to make the CFP: 59%
Chance to play in the national title game: 26%

Biggest obstacle: Nov. 5 at Notre Dame. This should be Clemson’s biggest opportunity to impress the selection committee on the national stage. If Clemson loses this game, it can still finish in the top four with an ACC title, but it’s not a guarantee. It still depends on how the other Power 5 champions fare in similarly difficult nonconference games.

What the committee will like: A 4-0 nonconference record. Clemson shouldn’t have any problems with Furman or Louisiana Tech (especially at home), but if the Tigers can win at South Bend, Indiana, and beat rival South Carolina at home, they’ll have a much better case for the top four as an ACC champ. South Carolina is making strides under Shane Beamer and is a potential top 25 opponent.

What the committee won’t like: No. 44 strength of schedule. Of the top 12 teams in the FPI, only Pitt (No. 54) is ranked lower.

Dinich’s take on the Tigers’ path to the Playoff is spot on. The Notre Dame matchup will likely determine if Clemson can be a top-four team come December. Meanwhile, the Tigers’ weak strength of schedule will play into the committee’s decision, although it hasn’t stopped it from selecting Clemson in years past.

According to ESPN’s playoff predictor, Alabama, Clemson, Georiga and Ohio State are the four teams most likely to make it to the Playoff.

The Tigers are preseason favorites to finish in the top-four, but the long journey to reach that pedestal will be no small task.

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Early odds for the 2023 CFP title show Georgia and Alabama aren’t going anywhere

Could we see the Bulldogs run it back in 2023?

While Georgia was busy Monday night celebrating its first national championship since 1980, oddsmakers were at work deciding lines for next year’s title favorite.

To no surprise at all, the two teams with the best odds to win the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship are the two who just got done playing. Georgia and Alabama are tied for the shortest odds to win it all at +200, followed by Ohio State at +800 and Clemson at +1000.

The two teams at the top make sense considering they are perennially amongst the best in the country, and since 2017, they’ve both recruited top-five classes, according to 247Sports. That includes the top-two classes in 2019 and 2020.

Rounding out the list of odds available on Tipico Sportsbook are Oregon, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Florida and Michigan all tied at +4000. Miami and Penn State are tied at +6000, and Tennessee, North Carolina, USC, Wisconsin and Notre Dame are tied at +8000.

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