Despite winning the ACC Championship, Clemson received little respect from the College Football Playoff Selection Committee when the 12-team field was announced on Sunday. The Tigers, who claimed the ACC title, moved up just one spot from No. 17 to No. 16 in the rankings, and were placed as the No. 12 seed in the playoff bracket.
This positioning means Clemson faces a difficult first-round matchup against No. 5 seed Texas, traveling to Austin for the game on December 21 at 4 p.m. Eastern. Texas, ranked No. 3, is the highest-ranked team not to receive a first-round bye, following their overtime loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship.
Clemson fans are rightfully upset about Boise State’s higher ranking and No. 3 seed, as the Broncos, despite winning the Mountain West, boast a less impressive resume than the Tigers. Boise State’s 12-1 record includes just one win over a ranked opponent, No. 20 UNLV in the MWC title game. In contrast, Clemson defeated No. 8 SMU in a neutral-field game, a win that far surpasses anything Boise State has achieved.
Clemson’s playoff positioning was hurt by blowout losses to No. 2 Georgia and unranked Louisville earlier in the season. However, their overall resume is stronger than Boise State’s, with a strength of schedule ranked 23rd in the nation compared to Boise’s 70th. Clemson played top teams like Georgia, South Carolina, and SMU, while Boise State’s only notable challenge was a loss to Oregon.
With the committee’s decision final, Clemson faces a daunting task in the first round. If they manage to beat Texas, they would play No. 4 Arizona State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on January 1. Meanwhile, SMU, the team Clemson defeated in the ACC Championship, secured the final at-large spot in the field, meaning the ACC now has two teams in the playoff.
Despite Clemson’s success and their dominant win over SMU, the committee’s ranking is seen as a snub, putting the Tigers up against one of the toughest first-round opponents.
