ESPN: Clemson, ACC in ‘Great Shape’ After Latest CFP Rankings
By: cameronburnett November 27, 2024

The idea of three ACC teams making the College Football Playoff felt nearly impossible before the season but that could be the case in the first year of the 12-team format.

Clemson is ranked at No. 12 with the rivalry bout against No. 15 South Carolina its final hurdle. ESPN released its bubble watch and believes the Tigers are in great standing.

The Tigers need Miami to lose to Syracuse to get a spot in the ACC championship game against SMU. According to ESPN Analytics, there’s an 81% chance that Miami will win and face SMU in the ACC title game. Clemson will end its regular season against rival South Carolina, and a win against the Gamecocks would boost the Tigers’ playoff résumé if they got into the ACC title game and were fighting for an at-large spot as the league’s runner-up. A win against South Carolina and some upsets above it could also boost Clemson into the playoff bracket. If Clemson loses to South Carolina, though, it would be eliminated if it also loses in/doesn’t make the ACC title game.

ACC foes Miami and SMU are both in strong positions at No. 3 and No. 10 respectively. Should Clemson win Saturday and the Mustangs win the ACC Championship, there’s a legitimate chance the conference represents a quarter of the playoff teams.

For the first time this season, the committee ranked two ACC teams in its top 10 — No. 6 Miami and No. 9 SMU — increasing the chances that the runner-up of the ACC championship game earns a spot in the playoff. In addition, ranking Clemson at No. 12 shows that the Tigers could potentially be a third ACC playoff team if they can beat No. 15 South Carolina on Saturday. Clemson could still need some help, though, because even at the No. 12 spot, the Tigers would be displaced if the playoff began today because the fifth-highest ranked conference champion is guaranteed a spot and would take that No. 12 seed. A win over the Gamecocks could vault Clemson further up the rankings, making that a moot point.

The time is now for the Tigers and the ACC to stake their claim and a win Saturday would be a good start.