CLEMSON FOOTBALL

Five ESPN experts project a Clemson return to the College Football Playoff, but not a championship repeat.
Five ESPN experts project a Clemson return to the College Football Playoff, but not a championship repeat.

ESPN experts project Clemson Playoff return


by - Staff Writer -

The season starts for much of college football this weekend and ESPN's experts released their final preseason College Football Playoff predictions Thursday.

Former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy projects a repeat of the 2016 CFP with Clemson, Alabama, Ohio State and Washington all returning, but Ohio State coming out on top.

Longtime college football writer Ivan Maisel has both Clemson and Florida State in, joined by Alabama and Ohio State, and the Buckeyes winning it all.

Former head coach Tommy Tuberville picks his former school Auburn for the football final four with Ohio State, Alabama and Clemson, and Ohio State as the national champ.

Rounding out the Clemson picks are analysts Brad Edwards and Tom Luginbill, who also expect a 2016 CFP teams repeat, but Luginbill takes Alabama, and Edwards, Ohio State overall.

ESPN College Gameday's Kirk Herbstreit pegs Ohio State topping a Playoff including Alabama, Florida State and Southern Cal. Desmond Howard has Miami as the ACC Champion and Stanford winning it all. Lee Corso is picking Southern Cal overall with Florida State making the CFP as the ACC champion. Rece Davis has Alabama as the new No. 1 with Florida State winning the ACC as well.

ESPN College Gameday contributor David Pollack's picks weren't included in the ESPN lineup today, but he projected Clemson with a group of Ohio State, Stanford and Alabama earlier this month.

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