Moving up three places in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, the Clemson football team still has an outside shot at earning a spot in the 12-team field.
On Tuesday, the College Football Playoff Committee released its updated rankings for week 13. While Clemson remains outside the top 12, the Tigers are in a position to potentially secure a spot.
This week, they are ranked No. 17, moving up three places from last week’s No. 20 ranking.
Interestingly, Clemson is not the highest-ranked team with an 8-2 record; Texas A&M (No. 15) and Colorado (No. 16) sit right above them. Additionally, several 8-2 teams, including Alabama (No. 7), Ole Miss (No. 9), Georgia (No. 10), and Tennessee (No. 11), are within the top 12.
A common thread among the teams in the top 12 is that they all belong to the SEC, which boasts five teams in that ranking.
However, being in the top 12 doesn’t guarantee a playoff spot, as the top five conference champions automatically qualify, and currently, no teams from the Big 12 are in the top 12. BYU, which recently suffered its first loss at home against Kansas, is the highest-ranked Big 12 team at No. 14, but they would secure a spot if the playoffs started today.
For Clemson to make the playoffs, they need to win their remaining games against The Citadel and South Carolina, as well as have teams ahead of them lose. For example, if Miami were to lose to either Wake Forest or Syracuse, it could improve Clemson’s chances of playing in the ACC title game, where a win would guarantee their place in the playoffs.
Additionally, the Gamecocks remain ranked just behind the Tigers, which is beneficial as Clemson needs their in-state rival to be as highly ranked as possible for their matchup next weekend.
Clemson’s best win so far is their 24-20 victory over Pitt last week, but a win against USC next Saturday would significantly enhance their resume, something they desperately need.
With more games yet to be played before the playoff bids are finalized, the Tigers can only focus on winning to improve their playoff chances, as they did with their win over Pitt in week 12.
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