Kirk Herbstreit Believes Clemson Could Make the College Football Playoff

A college football analyst gave his thoughts on why Clemson could make the College Football Playoffs.

Jan 5, 2019; San Jose, CA, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney (left) talks with ESPN broadcaster Kirk Herbstreit (right) during practice prior to the CFP National Championship against the Alabama Crimson Tide at CEFCU Stadium. / Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

The Clemson Tigers will have one of their biggest seasons yet in the 2024-25 campaign. With expectations higher than ever before after a disappointing year in 2023-24, changes could be made if Clemson doesn't play the way they're expected to.

Anytime their season ends in anything other than a national championship, it's typically viewed as a disappointment, and whether that's fair or not, it's the reality of the situation. Clemson is used to being at the top of the college football ranks throughout much of the past decade and needs to return to that.

They have as good of an opportunity to make the College Football Playoffs out of any team in the nation. Playing in a loaded ACC, there's no excuse for them not to make it. If they come out and take care of business, they're going to be one of the teams selected in the extended bracket.

And Kirk Herbstreit believes it's a real possibility that they do so, saying that Dabo Swinney hears some of the disrespect, according to The Clemson Insider.

“I’ll give you one last one – I think Clemson, people are kind of (expletive) all over Dabo, and (saying) ‘he doesn’t do the portal and the game’s passed him by.’ That’s everything he wants. He just sits there and loves that,” Herbstreit said. “So, I think Clemson… again, potential longshot, they could get hot and make a run. Veteran quarterback now in (Cade) Klubnik. So, we’ll see.”

Swinney has often been criticized for his lack of additions in the transfer portal, and while that has been a major issue, everything can often be forgotten about if they win.

There's enough talent on this roster for them to complete this task, but it won't be easy. They'll start the season off against a loaded Georgia team that's viewed as the top team in America.

They'll also take on a tough Appalachian State team the following week, Stanford at Clemson at the end of September, and then deal with the tough ACC.

However, looking at their schedule, there might only be two games that Clemson should lose. They'll obviously head into every game with the idea of winning, but beating Georgia and Florida State won't be an easy task.

If they were to lose just two games, and it was against both of those teams while competing against them, they should still find themselves in the playoffs if things go as planned.

The committee did disrespect the ACC a bit last year when they decided not to put Florida State in the top four, but that should be different this time around.