Clemson ranked No. 3 in updated Playoff poll

Win next week and Clemson's only concern will be seeding. (ACC photo)

by Brandon Rink - Staff Writer - Tue Dec 08 19:15:17 GMT-04:00 2020

Two college football weekends are left ahead of the Dec. 20 Playoff decision date and Dabo Swinney’s Tigers are still positioned well.

In Tuesday’s updated Playoff committee rankings, Clemson (9-1) stayed No. 3, behind Alabama (9-0) and Notre Dame (10-0) and ahead of Ohio State (5-0).

Maybe complicating things more for next week’s ranking, Ohio State’s game with Michigan Saturday was canceled due to COVID-19 protocol, leaving them to five games -- without a late rearrangement this weekend -- before a Dec. 19 matchup to be determined. And one thing to be determined there is if the Big Ten will waive the six-game requirement to be in the championship game to boost their best shot at a Playoff team.

"We've talked about it from day one that the number of games was going to be critical," CFP committee chairman and Iowa AD Gary Barta said on ESPN. "We were able to watch another game that Ohio State played and that was important. Justin Fields scores two running and passing...so it was important that the committee got to see another game by Ohio State and they performed well.

"Conference championships won is one criteria that we use. Certainly that will be considered, but of course we consider the whole body of work and we look at the teams they played head-to-head. So it's (a conference championship) one piece, but it's not the only piece."

After the ACC cut its conference race down to nine games recently, Clemson's Tigers can play their way into college football's final four next week when they take on Notre Dame for the ACC Championship (4 p.m./ABC in Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium on Dec. 19).

Asked about potential rematches in the Playoff like Clemson and Notre Dame, Barta declined to answer if they would avoid a rematch in the semifinal and said they will rank the four best teams on Dec. 20.

More out of the ACC's CFP rankings, Miami stayed No. 10 and UNC 17th, while NC State entered at No. 23.

Of note in the top-10 this week, Iowa State (8-2) jumped two spots to No. 7 over Cincinnati (8-0) and Georgia (6-2). Texas A&M (7-1) and Florida (8-1) remained in the No. 5 and 6 spots respectively.

The traditional polls stayed split this week with the Associated Press keeping its quartet of Alabama, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Clemson as the top-4 with Texas A&M fifth, Florida sixth and Cincinnati seventh (8-0). The Coaches Poll moved into lock-step with last week’s CFP rankings and a top-7 of Alabama, Notre Dame, Clemson and Ohio State, Texas A&M, Florida and Cincinnati.

Among metric rankings, Alabama leads the ESPN SP+ ($) (33.2), followed by Clemson (28.9), Ohio State (26.6) and Notre Dame (23), with Florida sixth (22.7), Cincinnati eighth (20.7) and Texas A&M back in 13th (16.1). ESPN’s FPI has Alabama (35.3) and Ohio State (29.4) on top, Clemson next (27.8), and rather absurdly, 2-2 Wisconsin fourth (23), and then Oklahoma (21.7) before Notre Dame (21.6). The FEI ratings have the same trio of Alabama, Ohio State and Clemson 1-2-3, BYU (yes, the one that just lost at Coastal) and Notre Dame rounding out the top-5.

ESPN rates Clemson with a No. 4 game control ranking and No. 9 strength of record (up one this week). For comparison, Alabama has the No. 1 spot in both game control and strength of record, Notre Dame is No. 8 with game control and No. 2 in strength of record and Ohio State is No. 2 and No. 5 there respectively.

This year’s CFP committee is chairman and Iowa AD Gary Barta, Arizona State professor Paola Boivin, Wyoming AD Tom Burman, Oklahoma AD Joe Castiglione, former head coach Ken Hatfield, Colorado AD Rick George, former USC player Ronnie Lott, Arkansas State AD Terry Mohajir, former Army Chief of Staff Ray Odierno, former Texas A&M coach R.C. Slocum, Georgia Tech AD Todd Stansbury, Florida AD Scott Stricklin, former Penn State player John Urschel.

CFP Rankings - 12/8

1. Alabama

2. Notre Dame

3. Clemson

4. Ohio State

5. Texas A&M

6. Florida

7. Iowa State

8. Cincinnati

9. Georgia

10. Miami

11. Oklahoma