Clemson Tigers Named One of 'First Four Out' in Latest CFP Projections

The Clemson Tigers need to win to keep their hopes of making the College Football Playoffs alive.

Nov 2, 2024; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney looks on during the fourth quarter against the Louisville Cardinals at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images / Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

The Clemson Tigers were hopeful that they would be in a much better position to make the College Football Playoffs at this point in the season than they currently find themselves in.

While the week one loss to the Georgia Bulldogs crushed the hopes and dreams of some, the six-game win streak brought many back around before last week's loss to the Louisville Cardinals crushed the hopes of many.

Now holding a 6-2 record, there is not much the Tigers can do going forward to improve their chances at making the College Football Playoffs, though they can certainly hinder their chances even more, even rendering their chances null and void should they lose another game.

Heather Dinich of ESPN released her weekly College Football Playoffs projection ahead of the actual rankings being released tonight and listed Clemson as one of the "next four out" alongside the Iowa State Cyclones, the Colorado Buffaloes, and the Washington State Cougars.

"The only reason Clemson is still listed here is because it is still mathematically able to win the ACC," writes Dinich, "if the Tigers don't win the conference, their schedule won't compete with other contenders in the eyes of the committee."

And that has certainly proved to be the case this year, as the Tigers have feasted on a weak schedule outside of their two losses.

You can only play the teams that are on your schedule, and that holds true for every team, but two losses with a weak schedule do not bode well for anyone's chances at making the College Football Playoffs, even in the newly expanded iteration.

Clemson has become bowl-eligible this year, so regardless of how the College Football Playoffs feel about their schedule, they will still have one postseason game to play when all is said and done, though it is not the postseason game that many were hoping for entering the year.

It is an odd position that the Tigers now find themselves in, as they made six of the first seven College Football Playoff tournaments, making it to the National Championship Game in four of those appearances, and winning two of those, but now may find themselves on the outside looking in for the fourth time in as many years.

It is never ideal to have to go back to the drawing board, but with what Clemson has shown us over the last two years, it may be time to start reconsidering some things.