CBS Sports makes Playoff, Heisman predictions for Clemson |
The ACC and Big 12 kick off the major conferences' 2020 season this week and CBS Sports made
its Playoff and Heisman predictions on Tuesday.
Five of the CBS panel not only predict Dabo Swinney's No. 1-ranked Tigers to make the Playoff but also to win a third national title in the last five seasons. "Notre Dame is in the ACC this season, but does anyone believe that's going to be enough to keep Clemson from reaching the College Football Playoff? I certainly do not," Tom Fornelli writes. "So, with nearly a free pass to the playoff as well as the best quarterback in the country, how could you not back Clemson to win it all in 2020? Even if worst came to worst and Trevor Lawrence opts out to prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft, the Tigers still have another five-star behind him in D.J. Uiagalelei." Alabama has the two other title picks from CBS with Chip Patterson and Dennis Dodd. Patterson is among two panelists taking Notre Dame to make the Playoff, seeing the Tigers No. 3 and the Fighting Irish No. 4. Dodd and Ben Kercheval project the first Group of 5 teams to make the CFP with Cincinnati and Memphis respectively. Like with the championship predictions, Trevor Lawrence has five picks for the Heisman Trophy, with Oklahoma State's Chuba Hubbard and Texas' Sam Ehlinger garnering the other votes. "So while Lawrence has been a mainstay in the college football conversation, we have yet to hit the Heisman fatigue that can hinder a star's ability to win the top award," Patterson writes. "The extra portion to this is that Clemson needs Lawrence to be the kind of star that can lift everyone around him now that Tee Higgins is off to the NFL and Justyn Ross is out with an injury. If Lawrence can lead on the field with a group of talented but mostly unproven receivers, it only adds to his Heisman shine." Two panelists also picked Swinney as national coach of the year.
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