With the close of the four-team College Football Playoff era earlier this month, it’s worth noting that few programs had as good a run in the outgoing four-team Playoff format as Clemson enjoyed.
The Tigers appeared in a record six straight College Football Playoffs from 2015-2020, reaching the championship game four times and winning two national championships under coach Dabo Swinney.
Only Alabama had more Playoff appearances (eight overall) in the 10 seasons of the four-team Playoff than Clemson. Ohio State was third with five appearances.
CBS Sports recently ranked all 40 College Football Playoff participants from worst to first between 2014-2023.
Here’s where a few of Clemson’s teams appeared on the list.
Lowest Ranked: 2017 Clemson (lost CFP semifinal to Alabama)
Unfortunately, this wouldn’t be the first time the Tigers left New Orleans disappointed. The 2017 team fell, 24-6, in the Sugar Bowl. The Tigers were a year removed from Deshaun Watson’s heroics and a year away from those of Trevor Lawrence. Facing Kelly Bryant at quarterback, Alabama simply had its way with the Tigers’ offense for most of the night.
Best of the rest: 2019 Clemson (lost CFP national championship game to LSU)
It’s no wonder that this group was ranked the best team to not win the national championship. The Tigers won a thriller over Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl before falling to one of the best teams in modern college football history a week later in — where else? — New Orleans. The Tigers were 14-0 after the Fiesta Bowl victory and on a 29-game win streak.
Highest Ranked: 2018 Clemson (defeated Alabama in CFP national championship)
Not surprisingly, this squad was ranked the Tigers’ best team of the four-team Playoff era for their unblemished 15-0 record and sheer dominance of other teams en route to a crushing 44-16 win over Alabama in the national championship game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. Trevor Lawrence became a star that year after some early-season growing pains. Clemson had only two close calls all season — both in the month of September with narrow victories over Texas A&M and Syracuse.
The Complete List: CBS Sports: Ranking all 40 College Football Playoff teams so far with expanded field following 2024 season