Stephen A. Smith on Clemson's ranking: "It's a travesty"

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Clemson was ranked No. 5 in the first College Football Playoff ranking and that's not sitting well with some pundits.

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, who talked to the Clemson football team while in town for the FSU game, is definitely in that group, calling the initial committee assessment "a travesty."

"Here's the reality of the situation, it's not Clemson's fault that you can question their level of competition and the fact in which that they have stomped on everybody," Smith said on ESPN's First Take Wednesday. "You're telling me because Penn State has been on a roll for three months -- you're telling me that Clemson, the reigning, defending national champions may not get to defend their crown, clear the slate and beat everyone in front of them and go (13-0) and they're supposed to be on the outside-looking in?...This is what stinks about college football. You've got to be kidding me."

Watch more of Smith's rant below:

ESPN SportsCenter anchor Scott Van Pelt said it was "jarring" to see Clemson outside the top-four but believes they will end up in the Playoff by winning out:

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