Tigers rise up ESPN power ranking |
Brandon Rink
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- Monday, September 16 2024
The weekend saw some movement around the college football world, even for a team that didn't play.
ESPN's power rankings slotted the Tigers up two places to No. 17 overall. "Clemson was off in Week 3, but that doesn't mean it wasn't an eventful few days for the Tigers. For one, folks around Clemson are still riding high off the Tigers' Week 2 drubbing of Appalachian State. The 66-20 win was a long-awaited glimpse of the offensive heft Dabo Swinney has promised -- but not delivered -- for the past few years," ESPN's David Hale wrote. "Meanwhile, Clemson's next game on the slate comes against NC State, a contest that just a few weeks ago seemed like a harbinger of who would win the ACC. Now though? The Wolfpack have struggled badly in all three games and starting QB Grayson McCall could be out with a true freshman getting the nod instead. Given NC State's struggles on the O-line, the combination of a freshman QB and Clemson's dynamic defensive front could translate to another emphatic Tigers win and another chance to put the opener against Georgia in the rearview mirror." Clemosn is currently listed as a 17-point favorite for the noon kickoff with NC State on Saturday (ABC). Texas moved up two spots to the No. 1 position for the ESPN ratings, followed by Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee in a SEC quartet at the top. Ohio State and Miami are the highest-ranked non-SEC teams, at Nos. 5 and 6. Louisville is the only other ACC team ranked (19), who come to Death Valley on Nov. 2. CBS Sports' 134-team ranking has Clemson at No. 20. That CBS full FBS field also has Texas on top, followed by Georgia, Ohio State, Alabama and Tennessee. Miami checks in at No. 7 there, with Louisville at No. 17. Clemson's other remaining FBS foes by that ranking: NC State (36), Pittsburgh (38), South Carolina (42), Virginia Tech (67), Florida State (71), Stanford (83), Virginia (84) and Wake Forest (89). The 134-team ranking The Athletic does has the ACC Tigers at No. 18 ($). Clemson's FBS remaining regular-season opponents ranked there: Louisville (35), Pittsburgh (39), NC State (40), Virginia Tech (44), South Carolina (45), Virginia (82), Wake Forest (83), Florida State (87) and Stanford (91).
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