Clemson's College Football Playoff matchup projections

Clemson has projections to Austin, South Bend and Happy Valley.

by TigerNet Staff - Dec 8, 2024, 5:08 AM

We know Clemson's in the College Football Playoff field after Saturday night's 34-31 ACC Championship win over No. 8 SMU. It's just a matter of when and where.

Those questions will be answered during a noon ESPN CFP final rankings broadcast, which will slot the Top 4 automatic byes given to conference champions and then eight more spots for the 12-team field that will include one more conference champion.

And that last conference spot is likely Clemson, marking a first-round road game on Dec. 20 or 21. Here's what the latest projections say:

CBS Sports projects a trip to a 5-seed SEC runner-up Texas. CBS' Jerry Palm believes the committee will stop there on ACC teams and include Alabama as an 11-seed at-large instead of ACC runner-up SMU.

"Much to the dismay of ACC commissioner Jim Phillips, No. 8 SMU is projected to drop out of the CFP field after a heartbreaking 34-31, last-second loss to Clemson in the ACC Championship Game," Palm said. "The Tigers may or may not jump SMU in the rankings, but I am projecting that they will. It doesn't really matter, though; either way, I have the Mustangs dropping below Alabama, and that is all it takes to keep them out."

Over at ESPN ($), Heather Dinich has SMU not getting knocked for the Saturday effort and landing an 11-seed overall to face Texas themselves. Clemson is then slotted as a 12-seed to travel to a projected 5-seed Penn State.

Elsewhere at the 4-letter network, Mark Schlabach picks a Clemson-Penn State first-rounder as well, but Kyle Bonagura has Notre Dame hosting the Tigers. They are split on the Alabama or SMU inclusion.

Yahoo has a 6-seed Penn State hosting an 11-seed Clemson and SMU making the CFP field.

247Sports believes Clemson will only move up one spot in the CFP rankings and that SMU will hold on to an at-large bid. That would set up Penn State hosting Clemson and SMU heading to Texas.

"Don't expect the Tigers to make a huge jump in the selection committee's final rankings given their recent loss to South Carolina, but it doesn't matter — Saturday night's win over SMU in the ACC Championship Game means Clemson gets an auto-berth in the playoff and will be playing on the road in the opening round," 247Sports' Brad Crawford said.

CFN also predicts a 6-seed Penn State hosting Clemson and SMU heading to Texas.

The Action Network has the same call, installing the Nittany Lions as a 6.5-point favorite in the potential matchup.

Clemson Playoff projections

4. Clemson v. 5. Notre Dame/12. Alabama winner in Peach Bowl (FOX Sports)

11. Clemson at 6. Penn State (Yahoo, CFN, Action Network)

11. Clemson at 6. Notre Dame (Sporting News)

11. Clemson at 6. Texas (B/R)

12. Clemson at 5. Penn State (ESPN - Dinich, Schlabach; 247Sports)

12. Clemson at 5. Notre Dame (ESPN - Bonagura)

12. Clemson at 5. Texas (CBS Sports, The Athletic model ($))