Clemson Tigers Enter Playoff Field in Expert's Predictions Facing Old Foe

Could the Clemson Tigers face off against an old rival if they were to make the College Football Playoff?

Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

The Clemson Tigers are back in the good graces of the college football media sphere after back-to-back huge offensive performances in victories against Appalachian State and North Carolina State.

Following the sky seemingly falling coming off the week one drubbing against Georgia in which the team put up less than 200 yards total and just three points, the last two games have seen a combined 1,200+ yards and 125 points. Cade Klubnik has looked as good as he's ever looked in a Clemson uniform, the run game has been on fire, and everyone is contributing to the offensive firepower that has been found over the first two wins of the 2024 seasons.

The Tigers have risen in this week's AP Poll as a result from No. 21 to No. 17 and have returned to enter the conversation with regards to the postseason and the expanded College Football Playoff field. Jerry Palm of CBS Sports, who updates his bowl game predictions and playoff field every week, has moved Clemson back into the playoff field at No. 11 in his predictions.

Perhaps even more interesting is not only the fact that the Tigers land an at-large bid in Palm's projections - Miami is predicted No. 4 as the ACC champs - but also who Clemson is matched up against at No. 6. Palm has the Tigers facing off against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the first round of the 12-team playoff in a game that would be played in Tuscaloosa at Bryant-Denny Stadium and would without a doubt be seen as the marquee matchup of the first editions of on-campus playoff games.

The two sides have not faced off since the 2019 national championship Game, but Clemson against Alabama was the college football rivalry of the 2010s. Facing off in three national title games and four overall playoff matchups, the games ended in a 2-2 split with the Tigers having won two of the last three, both to claim championships.

The Crimson Tide defeated the Tigers in the first matchup since 2008 in the 2016 national championship before Clemson won the rematch the following season and Alabama drubbed the Tigers the following season in the semi-final Sugar Bowl game. Of course, Clemson has the most recent laugh of the rivalry with their 44-16 championship victory in 2019.

With the Tigers looking to climb back to college football's mountain top and the Crimson Tide seemingly not having ever left to this point, it would set up an absolutely epic playoff matchup between the two storied programs.