A big season for the Tigers might mean playing in Atlanta three different times

Clemson could play multiple games at The Benz this year. (Photo via MercedesBenzStadium.com)

David Hood · Senior Writer · Tuesday, August 20 2024

CLEMSON – If Clemson has the type of year that coaches, players, and fans are looking for, the Tigers might wind up playing in Atlanta three times this season.

The Tigers kick off the season next week in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium against top-ranked Georgia in the Aflac Kickoff Game. The game starts at noon and will be broadcast on ABC. The stop in Atlanta is the first of three potential visits to Mercedes-Benz this season, according to Kickoff CEO Gary Stokan, who appeared on the Orange Crush Podcast this week.

According to Stokan, it all depends on Clemson winning the ACC Championship and claiming a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff.

“I think in looking at the CFP selection committee and the Playoff, the way it's formed, you still remember have two years left of the original 12 year contract where the Rose Bowl still has contracts with the Big 10,” Stokan said. “The Pac-12, as we know, is no longer in business. The Sugar Bowl still has a contract with the SEC and the Big 12. So if you look at the top four conference champions getting automatic byes - those are going to come from the Big 12, the SEC, the ACC and the Big 10. The Big 10 champs are going to go to the Rose Bowl, and the highest-ranked champ between the SEC and the Big 12 is going to go to the Sugar Bowl.

“So let's say the SEC, if you take preseason, Georgia's No. 1, let's say they win the SEC, they would go to the Sugar Bowl, the Big 12 winner, let's say it's Utah: Utah would go to the Fiesta Bowl and then the ACC Champ, because the Orange Bowl has the semifinal, that's where the ACC has their contract. They become, so to speak, a free agent. They would come to Atlanta and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. So I think that's the way you're going to see it play out.”

The four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded one through four and will receive a first-round bye. The fifth conference champion will be seeded where it was ranked or at No. 12 if it is outside the top 12 rankings. Non-conference champions ranked in the top four will be seeded beginning at No. 5. Because of this, the seeding, 1 through 12, could look different than the final rankings.

The eight teams seeded No. 5-12 will play in a first round, with the higher seeds hosting the lower seeds either on campus or at other sites designated by the higher-seeded institution (No. 12 at No. 5, No. 11 at No. 6, No. 10 at No. 7 and No. 9 at No. 8.).

The selection committee will assign the four highest-ranked conference champions to Playoff Quarterfinals hosted by bowls. This will be done in consideration of historic bowl relationships, then in consideration of rankings. For example, if the Sugar Bowl hosts a Playoff Quarterfinal and the SEC champion is ranked No. 1 and the Big 12 champion is ranked No. 3, the SEC champion would be assigned to the Sugar Bowl and the Big 12 champion would be assigned elsewhere.

With the four highest-ranked conference champions assigned to bowls, their four Playoff Quarterfinal opponents will be dictated by the bracket (i.e., No. 1 vs. No. 8/9 winner, No. 4 vs. No. 5/12 winner, No. 2 vs. 7/10 winner; No. 3 vs. 6/11 winner.)

“Now, that is going to be an opportunity for Clemson if they win the ACC to get back to Atlanta and play in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl,” Stokan said. “And then if they win that against the first round opponent, then they move on to either the Orange or the Cotton bowl. The one thing that people have to remember is once the brackets are established, they're not going to change them. So in other words, if you had Michigan, Ohio State, they're not going to change those two up because they played in a regular season. If that's where they're scheduled to play, then they play that game again and move along in the bracket.”

The National Championship Game will be played on Monday, January 20th, in Atlanta, meaning the Tigers could play a third time in Mercedes-Benz this season. Its interesting to note that Georgia could play there four times because the SEC Championship Game is held there in early December.

But for the Tigers, playing three times in Atlanta means it’s been a good season.