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The Clemson Tigers (8-0) are in the top four in the first College Football Playoff rankings released on Tuesday. The Tigers are currently in first place of the Atlantic division in the ACC, and are the favorites to win the conference. If they are able to do so, a path to the playoffs seems inevitable.
THE #CFBPlayoff TOP 6️⃣ IS HERE❗
1. Tennessee
2. Ohio State
3. Georgia
4. Clemson
5. Michigan
6. Alabama pic.twitter.com/7FosF0zoiP— ESPN (@espn) November 1, 2022
Clemson’s Schedule
The Tigers are 6-0 in conference play, leading the ACC. They have played in tough road environments but have managed to come out with a victory in each game. The hardest parts of Clemson’s schedule were played in recent weeks. The Syracuse Orange and Wake Forest Demon Deacons have given them their biggest challenges.
This week, the Tigers head to South Bend to take on Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish have had a season full of ups and downs, so they can’t be entirely counted out. Their new coaching staff and high-level talent is something Clemson needs to be ready for.
After this week, they have three straight home games to close out the season. All three games are winnable and could lead the Tigers to the ACC Championship game.
https://twitter.com/ClemsonFB/status/1588276078002327552
The Clemson Quarterback Spotlight
The quarterback position has been in the spotlight for the Tigers since the season began. Junior quarterback DJ Uiagalelei has had an average season. He’s had weeks were he was dominant, but others where he was pushed to the bench. Uiagalelei holds a QBR of 69.1, which is 40th in the nation. Over the course of the season, he’s improved with his confidence, but has a backup who is eager to replace him.
Freshman quarterback Cade Klubnik created noise in the first game of the season. Klubnik entered the Georgia Tech game and fans have been raving about him since. The former consensus five-star recruit will be the quarterback of this team’s future. Winning out is key for the Tigers, so experimenting with him isn’t Clemson’s priority. In the event that Uiagalelei is benched due to poor performance, Klubnik will be pushed to perform under the brightest lights.
Other ACC Teams in the CFP Rankings
In the CFP rankings that were released on Tuesday, the ACC had a total of five teams represented. Excluding Clemson, these teams included No. 17 UNC, No. 20 Syracuse, No. 21 Wake Forest and No. 22 NC State. All five teams are bowl eligible and will look to compete in one of the News Year’s Six bowl games.
