ESPN's Greg McElroy says there's a 'brand bias' to Clemson's No. 20 CFP ranking. (Photo: Kirby Lee / USATODAY)
ESPN's Greg McElroy says there's a 'brand bias' to Clemson's No. 20 CFP ranking. (Photo: Kirby Lee / USATODAY)

ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'


Brandon Rink Brandon Rink - Assoc. Editor / Staff Writer -

Clemson checked in at No. 20 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday.

That's still plenty of work to reach high enough for an at-large selection in the new Playoff format (No. 11 Ole Miss is in that last spot currently), but that didn't stop ESPN analyst Greg McElroy from another pointed critique of the Tigers' ranking.

"Clemson is at 20. I'm not sure they should be ranked, if you want my personal opinion," McElroy said. "Not because I don't think Clemson is capable. They've beat a lot of really good teams convincingly -- well, I take that back. They've beat some solid teams convincingly, but the two really good teams they've played, they've not been competitive, against Georgia and Louisville. So if Clemson were to have been a little lower, I wouldn't have had a problem with that. If they had been outside the Top 25, I would have understood as well."

Clemson made six consecutive CFP appearances under Dabo Swinney before the recent drought since 2020. McElroy believes those years of success are giving the Tigers an edge in the rankings to this point.

"I think they might be the program that is benefitting most from brand bias right now, if you want my personal opinion on 1-25," McElroy said. "The team benefitting most from brand bias I think is Clemson. Their best win right now is versus a 5-4 Virginia team. Their two games versus teams with a pulse are both losses and convincing ones at that."

McElroy said last week that Clemson had "no business" being in the CFP Top 25.

McElroy is on the call for Saturday's ESPN broadcast of the Clemson-Pitt game (noon).

Ultimate Level LogoUpgrade Your Experience!

Unlock premium boards and exclusive features (e.g. ad-free) by upgrading your account today.

Upgrade Now!
Comment on this story
Print   
Send Feedback to Brandon Rink: Email | Comment
No. 4 Tigers hold on against Eagles
No. 4 Tigers hold on against Eagles
Clemson run-rules Runnin' Bulldogs
Clemson run-rules Runnin' Bulldogs
No. 15 Tigers pull away from Pirates
No. 15 Tigers pull away from Pirates
Post your comments!
Subject (Replies: 87) Author
spacer TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
TigerNet News®
spacer The only time weve gotten the benefit of doubt
TigerNick76®
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
tigerpaw®
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
HunterClemsonTigers
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
allorangeallthetime52®
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
Tigerthing59
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
SpringHillTiger
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
grrowl
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
Nosmelc1
spacer He did talk about that
ColorofGrey
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
1965tiger
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
ZeeGantt®
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
hoppercats2
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
Clemgalalways®
spacer Re: TNET: You're correct
86Orange®
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
allorangeallthetime52®
spacer hes not wrong
tgrfan42069
spacer Re: hes not wrong
ColorofGrey
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
tigerdan75®
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
grrowl
spacer How many SEC teams in the playoff Greg? You want to talk about bias?
ClemKWA
spacer Re: How many SEC teams in the playoff Greg? You want to talk about bias?
crawdad64
spacer That Soulless Ginger Knows Nothing
morbidtiger®
spacer Re: That Soulless Ginger Knows Nothing
Rock31
spacer Re: That Soulless Ginger Knows Nothing
bprice563
spacer about #### time!***
cuvatiger®
spacer Didn't even have to look. New it was him. Let's shut him up by winning
MyfavOrange®
spacer ONLY if we win out do we have a right to complain about this.
Completely Solid Orange
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
clemvol
spacer That's the opposite of what he says in the video, though?
ColorofGrey
spacer Re: That's the opposite of what he says in the video, though?
tigerband1®
spacer Pot meet Kettle #Big10Teams #SECTeams***
grigsit
spacer The red-headed-step-child knows brand-bias better than most.
OneJedi®
spacer He did win a national championship.***
JJTiger89
spacer Re: He did win a national championship.***
WarDaddy17®
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
rhpltmeg®
spacer I LOVE Clemson
HuntClub®
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
TigermanJ92
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
Willyumyum®
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
flanny
spacer Agreed!
ColorofGrey
spacer Re: Agreed!
jsp5185
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
Cdixon11
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
bigunfatrat
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
LeonTrotsky
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
1965tiger
spacer Project much?
Ucel74
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
Jcantrell86®
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
85tiger2012®
spacer How can anyone disagree with him? Hes a jerk, but hes right.
RU4GOD2
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
Clempsun77
spacer Is that evidence of some sort of bias against us?
Judge Keller®
spacer Pretty sure you could make a strong case for bias.
A1ASauce®
spacer Re: Is that evidence of some sort of bias against us?
allorangeallthetime52®
spacer He has been complimentary of us in the past.***
Judge Keller®
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
yobagoyajambalaya
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
jsp5185
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
allorangeallthetime52®
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
Whitehurst74
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
jsp5185
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
hutto117
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
CU1976
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
Gumby®
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
Valley Boy
spacer Hand the ball off and shut the heyull up!
JKBtigerpaw
spacer That's rich.
A1ASauce®
spacer Brand bias?!
BeverlyAnne®
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
NCTIgerFan23
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
KS1986
spacer You can't spell 'brand bias' without SEC.***
ForeTigers
spacer Theres only the S in there,
JJTiger89
spacer Wow what a flip
bleedsorange81®
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
OrangeCoast®
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
LesterWagner1990
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
myplasticsurgeon
spacer He's doing the Pitt game. We either get a chance to shut him up, or make him
76er®
spacer Maybe
SocMan2®
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
JPF16®
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
finns13
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
GSCtiger®
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
Splode
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
Splode
spacer Thsi is the same Greg McElroy . . .
fitch
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
10N10Tiger
spacer I'm not clicking on any link to ESPiN because I wouldn't give them them...
ClemsonTiger1988®
spacer I know he gets paid to say stupid things
go_all_tigers
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
tenniswarrior56®
spacer Re: TNET: ESPN analyst says Clemson is propped up in CFP rankings by 'brand bias'
Pensacola Paw Power