ESPN’s updated SP+ rankings after Week 6 of the college football season saw the Clemson Tigers move up once again.
The Tigers (4-1 overall, 3-0 ACC) rose one spot to No. 12 overall after their 29-13 victory over the Florida State Seminoles Saturday night at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee.
While Clemson’s offense stayed at No. 17 in the rankings with a 36.2 rating, its defense rose five spots to No. 23 with an 18.3 rating after limiting Florida State to less than 200 yards of total offense until the Seminoles’ final possession with the outcome well in hand. The Tigers’ defense dominated FSU in all aspects.
Clemson’s overall SP+ rating is 17.7. The Tigers are three spots behind the Miami Hurricanes at No. 9. Mario Cristobal’s team is rated as the fourth-best offense and a 43.1 rating, but their defense fell three spots to No. 36 with a 21.2 rating.
The Texas Longhorns took the top spot in this week’s SP+ rankings, followed by the Ohio State Buckeyes, Alabama Crimson Tide, Georgia Bulldogs and Ole Miss Rebels rounding out the top five.
According to ESPN: “SP+ is intended to be predictive and forward-pacing. It is not a résumé ranking that gives credit for big wins or particularly brave scheduling — no good predictive system is. It is simply a measure of the most sustainable and predictable aspects of football. If you’re lucky or unimpressive in a win, your rating will probably fall. If you’re strong and unlucky in a loss, it will probably rise.”
Next up for Clemson
The Tigers will head to Winston-Salem this weekend for its annual ACC showdown against Wake Forest. Kickoff is set for noon ET. The game will be televised on ESPN.
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