CLEMSON FOOTBALL

Clemson continues to build its Playoff case. (Photo: Jim Dedmon / USATODAY)
Clemson continues to build its Playoff case. (Photo: Jim Dedmon / USATODAY)

ESPN's updated Clemson Playoff ranking, matchup projection


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ESPN updated its College Football Playoff ranking current snapshot and projected a matchup out of it on Sunday, moving Clemson up and sending them to an SEC first-round opponent.

Clemson sits just a spot behind Miami at No. 8 in this week's projection.

"Since the season-opening loss to Georgia, Clemson has reeled off five straight wins and scored at least 40 points in four of them," ESPN's Heather Dinich writes. "The Tigers also added back-to-back road wins to their résumé. Still, none of those wins have been against ranked opponents and none of them have a winning record. That's something that will hold them back in the committee meeting room, especially when most, if not all, contenders ranked above them have played a tougher schedule and/or are undefeated. The committee would also still honor Georgia's season-opening win against the Tigers, and Clemson probably would be behind Bama because the Tide was able to beat Georgia and Clemson did not."

If the season ended today, that placement would be important because the projected matchup is a road trip to Alabama, by just one seed place.

Dinich did a look-ahead on the Tigers as well, saying Clemson is in a better spot than the Hurricanes going forward.

"Clemson's November games against Pitt and South Carolina give the Tigers slightly more wiggle room than Miami as an at-large contender if they don't win the ACC -- at least right now," Dinich said. "The committee takes into account rivalry games, and Clemson still has South Carolina, which proved it has a defense against Bama on Saturday. Getting a road win against a ranked Pitt team that is currently undefeated would also be valued by the group."

As it stands, the ACC winner is projected to have a first-round bye and Top 4 seeding by the 12-team Playoff rules.

ESPN's view of the CFP committee ranking has a Top 5 of Texas, Oregon, Penn State, Ohio State and Georgia. The first official CFP rankings release is on Nov. 5 and wraps the Sunday after the conference championship games (Dec. 8).

If Clemson does end up in an 8-9 game and survives it, the 1-seed would await in the next round in a likely Sugar Bowl with an SEC team or a Rose Bowl with a Big Ten team.

ESPN's wider 13-person panel all have Clemson in the Playoff field and as an at-large also, as high as an 8-seed CFP first-round host.

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