Win and you are in. That’s all Clemson has to do to make the College Football Playoff for a fifth consecutive year.
The same holds true for LSU and Ohio State. The Bayou Bengals were ranked No. 1 in the latest CFP rankings that came out Tuesday night, followed by the Buckeyes at No. 2 and Clemson at No. 3. Georgia is ranked No. 4 and like the other three control its own destiny.
However, Georgia’s path is not as easy as the others. The Bulldogs have to play at No. 13 Auburn on Saturday, then host Texas A&M before ending the season at Georgia Tech. If they survive those three games, they likely will play LSU in the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 7.
Life is much easier for LSU. The SEC’s Tigers travel to 4-6 Ole Miss on Saturday and then host 2-8 Arkansas on Nov. 23, before closing the regular season against 6-3 Texas A&M in Baton Rouge. At this point, even a loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game might not hurt LSU’s chances of getting into the playoff. It currently owns four wins against CFP top 20 teams.
Ohio State controls its own destiny, but it will have a difficult path to get there. After this week’s cupcake at 2-7 Rutgers, the Buckeyes host No. 9 Penn State on Nov. 23 before closing the regular season at rival and 15th-ranked Michigan on Nov. 30. If they win all three of those games, they likely will have to play No. 8 Minnesota in the Big Ten Championship Game.
Of the top 4 teams from Tuesday night’s rankings, Clemson has the easiest path remaining. The ACC’s Tigers have two games remaining in the regular season. They host Wake Forest (7-2) this Saturday at Memorial Stadium before closing the season at rival South Carolina (4-6) on Nov. 30.
Clemson will play either Virginia (7-3), Virginia Tech (6-3) or Pittsburgh (6-3) in the ACC Championship Game on Dec. 7 in Charlotte. The Tigers will be a heavy favorite in each of its remaining three games.
The question for Clemson is not so much getting in the playoff as much as where the destination might be should they win out, which everyone expects. By the way the rankings sit right now, Clemson would play Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl.
Of course, Clemson would rather play in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, but with LSU sitting at the top of the rankings that isn’t likely to happen. If LSU wins out, with a win over Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, it will remain No. 1.
If LSU were to lose to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, LSU will fall in the rankings, which would ascend Clemson automatically as the highest-ranked southern team. Ohio State, if it is still undefeated, will move to No. 1 and will likely choose the Fiesta Bowl for its semifinal destination given its large alumni base in the Arizona area.
That sets up for Clemson to play in the Peach Bowl. Clemson can still grab the top spot in the rankings, but it will obviously need LSU and Ohio State to lose.
However, the point of all of this comes down to this, win and the Tigers are in. But, as hard as this might sound if you’re a Clemson fan, you need to pull hard for Georgia if you want to see your Tigers play in Atlanta come Dec. 28.
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