Clemson Tigers in Fantastic Position to Play Spoiler Down the Stretch

Can the Clemson Tigers play spoiler down the stretch?

Nov 9, 2024; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) warms up before the game at Lane Stadium. / Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

The Clemson Tigers are heading into Week 12 of the college football season with a massive matchup coming up against the Pittsburgh Panthers.

After a big win against the Virginia Tech Hokies, the Tigers have kept their hopes alive to compete for an ACC Championship this season. Losing to the Louisville Cardinals was not good for Clemson’s chances of winning the conference and making the College Football Playoff. However, with a recent Miami Hurricanes loss, hope is still alive.

When looking at the schedule for the Tigers, it really all comes down to their matchup against the Panthers. Pittsburgh is ranked in the Top 25, and this will be a fantastic game to watch with a lot on the line. 

Recently, Heather Dinich of ESPN.com spoke about the outlook for Clemson down the stretch. 

“The Tigers are the most likely spoiler in the ACC race, which is their best chance to reach the CFP. If they run the table, they would add a road win against a ranked CFP team in Pitt and earn a tough win against rival South Carolina, which would be highly regarded in the committee meeting room. Clemson's only two losses are also to ranked CFP teams (Louisville and Georgia).”

When looking at the conference, the SMU Mustangs are likely going to be one of the teams battling for the ACC Championship, as they have a fairly easy schedule down the stretch. With the Mustangs likely being one of the teams in the championship, it will likely come down to the Tigers and Hurricanes. 

While Clemson has three games left, the game against Pittsburgh will be their last conference matchup. For the Hurricanes, they will have two games left to play in conference, against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, and the Syracuse Orange. 

Of those two games, the game against the Orange on the road will be the far tougher task for Miami, as Syracuse can be a challenging place to play. 

With a couple of weeks left in the college football regular season, it is going to be a very exciting time in the ACC, as there is a lot still to be determined. While SMU making the conference championship game seems likely, the battle between Clemson and Miami for the other spot will have big implications on how the College Football Playoff will look down the road.