Clemson Tigers Considered Fringe College Football Playoff Team

The Clemson Tigers have been considered a bubble team for the College Football Playoff entering the 2024 season.

Clemson safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator Mickey Conn with linebackers during Clemson football practice at Jervey Meadows in Clemson, S.C. Wednesday August 7, 2024. / Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Clemson Tigers are considered one of the best teams in the nation entering the 2024 college football season. Ranked No. 14 in the preseason poll, they are one of the teams that will be in a position to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Their schedule is going to present plenty of opportunities to move up in the rankings throughout the season. In their season opener, they will face off against the No. 1 ranked Georgia Bulldogs.

Things don’t get any easier after that. Right now, Clemson will face off against three top-25 teams in their first six contests of the season. Overall, four of their opponents on their schedule were ranked to begin the season and four more received votes to be ranked.

If the Tigers are going to make the new-look playoffs with 12 teams, they will have certainly earned their way there. The only way they are guaranteed of earning a spot in the field is by winning the ACC Championship. After that, at-large bids will be available.

In the opinion of Brad Crawford of 247 Sports, Clemson is going to be one of those teams on the bubble. College basketball fans have become accustomed to bubble talk for years once the NCAA Tournament rolls around and now college football fans will have their own version.

Crawford believes that the Tigers are going to be one of the teams who are battling for an at-large bid in the inaugural field.

“What could get really interesting for the Tigers is if they're able to upset Kirby Smart's Bulldogs in the opener, but miss out on reaching the ACC title game at 10-2 overall. If that happens and Georgia takes first or second in the SEC, the selection committee would be hard-pressed to leave Clemson out of the top 12,” Crawford wrote.

Joining Clemson as bubble teams are the defending national champion Michigan Wolverines, Tennessee Volunteers, LSU Tigers, Iowa Hawkeyes, Kansas State Wildcats, Missouri Tigers and Memphis Tigers.

The Tigers fall on the bubble because the Florida State Seminoles and Miami Hurricanes are considered contenders for spots. Florida State is the projected ACC Champion and automatic qualifier while Miami was selected for an at-large bid.

Joining the Seminoles as conference champions with byes are Georgia, the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Utah Utes. The Texas Longhorns, Alabama Crimson Tide, Oregon Ducks, Texas A&M Aggies, Penn State Nittany Lions, Kansas State Wildcats and the Boise State Broncos (as the last conference champion) round out the projected field.

Getting a third ACC team into the playoffs will be tough, but a strong argument will be made depending on how things shake out during the season. If Clemson wins double-digit games, they will have a strong argument to be part of the field.