Clemson in Top 4 of CFB Playoff Rankings

Bryant hopes to lead Clemson to a third straight playoff

by Tony Crumpton - Assoc. Editor - Tue Oct 31 19:17:38 GMT-04:00 2017

It's that time of the year where the college football rankings start to matter.

The Clemson football team (7-1, 5-1 ACC) was ranked No. 4 in the College Football rankings released Tuesday night by the College Football Playoff committee.

The College Football Playoff Committee chose Georgia (#1 seed), Alabama (#2 seed), Notre Dame (#3 seed) and Clemson (#4 seed) as the four teams projected in the playoff with the live announcement on ESPN. With these current seeds, No. 1 Georgia would face No. 4 Clemson in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

Clemson has wins over No. 13 Virginia Tech and No. 14 Auburn and six overall wins over P5 opponents.

"Impressive resume against teams with a winning record," CFB selection chair Kirby Hocutt said about Clemson. It also appears that the committee factored Kelly Bryant's injury in the loss to Syracuse with their rankings.

The final College Football Playoff rankings for 2017 is Sunday, Dec. 3 as the committee will select their four teams for the CFP semifinals and the New Year’s Six bowl matchups.

The College Football Playoff semifinal contests consisting of the Rose Bowl and the Sugar Bowl will be played on Monday, Jan. 1 while the College Football National Championship will be held on Monday, Jan. 8 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga.

In 2015, Clemson was ranked No. 1 in the initial playoff rankings while they were No. 2 with the first unveiling of the playoff rankings in 2016. Alabama, Clemson, and Ohio State are the only three teams to appear in all 20 sets of rankings released by the committee in the playoff era according to ESPN Stats and Info.

Top 25 CFB Playoff rankings for 2017

1. Georgia

2. Alabama

3. Notre Dame

4. Clemson

5. Oklahoma

6. Ohio State

7. Penn State

8. TCU

9. Wisconsin

10. Miami

11. Oklahoma State

12. Washington

13. Virginia Tech

14. Auburn

15. Iowa State

16. Mississippi State

17. USC

18. UCF

19. LSU

20. NC State

21. Stanford

22. Arizona

23. Memphis

24. Michigan State

25. Washington State

Every ACC school to appear in top 4 of initial CFP Rankings has gone on to make the playoff (Florida State in 2014 & Clemson in 2015 & ’16). pic.twitter.com/ooxHlVsIT1
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 31, 2017

4?? Clemson pic.twitter.com/W3zO7hevOU
— CFBPlayoff (@CFBPlayoff) October 31, 2017

Week 10 College Football Playoff Rankings:

1. Georgia
2. Alabama
3. Notre Dame
4. Clemson
5. Oklahoma
6. Ohio State pic.twitter.com/ONoeGNq11X
— ESPN CollegeFootball (@ESPNCFB) October 31, 2017

No. 4 Clemson

All 4 defending national champions have been ranked in Top 4 of 1st committee release in CFB playoff era
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 31, 2017