Clemson Tigers Receiving Intriguing CFP Matchup From Publication
The Clemson Tigers have been one of the most successful teams in the College Football Playoff era. So it makes sense that at least one publication believes the Tigers will be a part of the first expanded CFP later this year.
The Sporting News released its first projections for bowl season and the CFP, as it selected the participants in every bowl game and the 12 seeds for the CFP this season.
Clemson made the cut for the CFP as TSN projected the Tigers would be the No. 9 seed. With Florida State also making the field as the No. 4 seed, the site was projecting that two ACC teams would make the field, with the Seminoles winning the ACC title game over the Tigers.
With the first-round games set up for neutral sites, TSN’s projections have the Tigers traveling in the first round to take on a familiar CFP opponent — Alabama, projected as the No. 8 seed.
The Tigers and the Crimson Tide met four times in a four-year period in the CFP from 2016-19. In that span, they split their four meetings, with the Tigers going 2-1 against the Crimson Tide in the CFP title game.
It’s a matchup made in college football television heaven, especially when you consider it’s a first-round matchup.
The Tigers made the second-most appearances in the CFP in the four-team playoff era, which started with the 2014 season. Only Alabama, with eight, has made more. The playoff expands to 12 teams this year.
The rest of the projected first-round CFP games would take place on Dec. 21 and feature No. 12 Memphis at No. 5 Texas, No. 10 Ole Miss at No. 7 Oregon and No. 11 Michigan at No. 6 Notre Dame.
TSN projected that Alabama would advance out of the Clemson matchup and face No. 1 Georgia in the Peach Bowl on New Year’s Day. The other New Year’s Day games included No. 7 Oregon vs. No. 2 Ohio State at the Rose Bowl and No. 5 Texas vs. No. 4 Florida State at the Sugar Bowl.
The first quarterfinal game is on Dec. 31 and would feature No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 3 Utah at the Fiesta Bowl.
The semifinals were projected to feature No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 5 Texas at the Orange Bowl on Jan. 9 and No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 6 Notre Dame at the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10.
TSN projected Georgia to beat Ohio State in the CFP National Championship Game on Jan. 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Clemson won the national championship at the end of the 2016 and 2018 seasons, while reaching the championship game at the end of the 2015 and 2019 seasons.
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