247Sports ranks Clemson football schedule in Top 10 nationally

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In some ways, Clemson's path to a College Football Playoff return has been made easier this season.

In others, it's still a difficult road back to the top of the game.

By way of an expanded playoff to 12 teams, an ACC title very likely clinches a Top 4 seed in the new format (four-highest ranked conference champions in the Top 4; Top 5 conference champions make it overall with seven at-large bids), but the overall schedule is rated 10th nationally by 247Sports.

"Clemson moves into the nation's toughest schedules ahead of the new season with a harder-than-initially-expected November. The Tigers open with top-ranked Georgia in Atlanta and begin ACC play a couple weeks later against upstart NC State at home. That's not going to be an easy matchup by any stretch," 247Sports' Brad Crawford said. "Two weeks after that, a trip to Tallahassee could decide which one of the preseason elites is still in the league title picture."

Clemson hosts Louisville, which is No. 25 in the 247Sports' post-spring Top 25, and heads to Virginia Tech, which ranks No. 24 there, to start November.

Sharing the same predicament of a matchup with Georgia (also in Atlanta), Georgia Tech is the only other non-SEC or Big Ten team in the Top 11, at No. 6.

Florida leads the way with eight opponents from 247Sports' Top 25. South Carolina's schedule, which features a trip to Clemson this November, is ranked No. 3 with seven preseason Top 25 teams on the slate.

Georgia is No. 8. Its schedule features the two ACC opponents but also out-of-conference dates with Tennessee Tech and UMass.

2024 Clemson football schedule

Aug. 31: vs. Georgia (Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta)

Sept. 7: vs. APPALACHIAN STATE

Sept. 14: Open Date

Sept. 21: vs. NC STATE

Sept. 28: vs. STANFORD

Oct. 5: at Florida State

Oct. 12: at Wake Forest

Oct. 19: vs. VIRGINIA

Oct. 26: Open Date

Nov. 2: vs. LOUISVILLE

Nov. 9: at Virginia Tech

Nov. 16: at Pitt

Nov. 23: vs. THE CITADEL

Nov. 30: vs. SOUTH CAROLINA

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