ESPN maps out Clemson's path back to Playoff

Cade Klubnik leads the Tigers again this season and seeks another ACC title, which would clinch a return to the Playoff for the program.

by TigerNet Staff - Mon Feb 26 10:10:47 GMT-04:00 2024

In an expanded Playoff, there are more spots to be had.

With automatic bids for the Top 5 conference champions, there is a guaranteed place by earning a berth to a conference title game and then winning it for, most likely, the remaining 'Power' leagues (SEC/B1G/ACC/Big 12) and one Group of 5 conference.

Then, there are seven at-large bids to grab.

ESPN laid out the path for each of its early Top 25 to make the Playoff, including the outlet's No. 19 team, Clemson.

"When Clemson has the talent, it has the path, and that won't change. The Tigers have (played in 11 CFP games) -- as many as Ohio State and trailing only Alabama (14). Clemson is 2-2 in four national championship game appearances. The CFP hasn't been the obstacle recently. If Clemson can get back to the top of the ACC, it can get back to the playoff," ESPN's Heather Dinich wrote.

Dinich tackled a possible path to an at-large bid as well, starting with the opener versus a likely preseason No. 1 Georgia in Atlanta.

"Go 2-0 against the SEC. Clemson opens the regular season against Georgia and ends it against rival South Carolina. Even if Clemson were to finish as the ACC runner-up, that should be enough for the Tigers to make a strong case for an at-large bid," Dinich said.

Last season, an undefeated ACC champion in Florida State was left out of the last four-team College Football Playoff. The Top 4-ranked conference champions receive a Top 4 seed and a bye in the next couple editions of the CFP, but Dinich isn't ruling out an ACC that ends up in that fifth champions slot.

"An undefeated FSU that wins the ACC won't be left out again. Period. What could happen, though, is the ACC champion could be snubbed for a first-round bye. That would have been the case in 2022 when ACC champion Pitt was ranked No. 12 on Selection Day with two losses -- behind then-American Athletic Conference champion and undefeated Cincinnati. The Bearcats have since moved to the Big 12, but if the ACC (or the Big Ten, SEC or Big 12) produces a two- or three-loss champion, it could possibly be ranked behind a stellar undefeated conference champion from the AAC, MAC, C-USA, Sun Belt or Mountain West. That means it would have to win four straight games to win the national title," Dinich said.