For the first time since 1981, Clemson can claim it is the No. 1 ranked team in the country.
The Tigers earned that right after the College Football Playoff Committee ranked them No. 1 in their first College Football Playoff Ranking which was released on Tuesday.
This marks the first time since 1981 the Tigers (8-0, 5-0 ACC) are ranked at the top of any poll, and just the third time it has happened overall. Clemson claimed the top spot in the last two weeks of 1981.
This Saturday’s game against No. 16 Florida State will be the first time Clemson is ranked No. 1 heading into a regular season game.
Earlier in the day Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said the first CFB Poll doesn’t matter, but what were his thoughts after learning his team is the No. 1 ranked team in the country.
“I just think it is a sign that we have had a great season to this point,” he said. “I certainly think we should be in the conversation regardless of what the ranking is, but I don’t think anybody should have a party based on what the poll is and nobody should be disappointed.
“If you look back to last year, Ohio State was 15th or 16th in the first poll and won the national championship. Notre Dame was in the top 10 and they finished unranked. Georgia Tech was not ranked and finished number nine.
“There is a lot of ball to be played.”
So how did Clemson, who is seeking to move to 9-0 for the first time since 1981, land the No. 1 spot?
“I think it’s the quality of their victories and certainly the Notre Dame victory at home, but they had four teams with better than a .500 record that they defeated. Then that combined really with an offense and a defense that are very strong on both sides of the ball. So I think that is what won the day in the committee’s eyes for the number one ranking,” said College Football Playoff Committee Chairman, Jeff Long, on ESPN’s College Football Playoff: Top 25 show.
Clemson is ranked No. 3 by Associated Press and No. 5 by the coaches this week.
When you look at the college football efficiency rankings, Clemson is ranked in the top five on both offense and defense.
The Tigers have won 11 consecutive games over two seasons and 17 of the last 18 contests. It is Clemson’s longest overall winning streak since the 1980-81 seasons, when the Tigers won 13 games in a row over the 1980-81 seasons. Clemson won the national title with a 12-0 record in 1981.
This year’s Clemson team has shown a strong performance on offense and defense. The Tigers are 11th in the nation in scoring offense (40.6), 19th in total offense (485.1) and 13th in passing efficiency.
On defense, Clemson is fifth in the nation in total defense (278.1), 11th in passing defense (169.0) and 14th in rushing defense (109.1). Clemson leads the nation in third-down conversion percentage defense (21.2) and first downs allowed (104).
Clemson was ranked in the top 25 of all eight College Football Playoff polls in 2014, including a high of No. 17 in the final poll that was released on Dec. 7.
Swinney is pleased with the ranking, but he is clear that this is just the first poll of the process. The teams that will be chosen for the playoff by the 12-member committee will be announced on December 6.
“I’m proud of our team because we are 8-0, and that is all good,” Swinney said. “This poll right here is simply based on potential. Potentially, we have a chance to be in there, but on December 6 when we finish our season, it will be based on performance.
“That is what it is all about. This is a game of performance, not potential. That’s why when the preseason polls and the preseason All-American teams come out I just rip them up in front of our team every year. It is about playing and earning it on the field. I think we are a very good team. I voted us very high myself the last couple of weeks because I believe in our team. But we have a long way to go. Our focus is 100 percent on trying to find a way to beat an outstanding Florida State team, a team we have had a very difficult time with the last few years.”