Clemson, Again, Has An Easy Path To Playoff

Clemson has as easy a path as anyone to return to the College Football Playoff for a seventh consecutive year. With ten games remaining before a likely spot in the ACC Championship Game, the Tigers project to face the least amount of resistance of any of the country's current top 10 teams.

After starting the fall with a loss to second-ranked Georgia, Clemson evened their record by defeating South Carolina State in a snoozer over the weekend. Currently ranked sixth, the Tigers' remaining schedule appears easier than a drunk divorcee on the rebound. None of Clemson's final 10 games come against opponents currently ranked within the Top 25.

Clemson has dominated the watered down ACC for years, and there's no reason that won't continue. A road date with Pitt on October 23rd may be the only potential road block preventing the Tigers from cruising to another College Football Playoff.

Amongst the nation's top ten teams, third-ranked Oklahoma, fourth-ranked Oregon and eighth-ranked Cincinnati also have relatively safe routes to the Playoff. The Sooners, Ducks and Bearcats each have only one remaining game against a ranked foe.

On the other end of the spectrum, perennial superhero Alabama figures to have the toughest slate. The Tide still have five games against Top 25 opponents remaining. That said, we're gonna go ahead and pencil Bama in for the Final Four, because after all, they're still Bama.

It's not hard to imagine Clemson coach Dabo Swinney grinning from ear to ear as he glances over the remaining schedule. But you won't catch him dismissing any opponents in front of the media. "We got seven straight conference games, and, you know, the next goal for us is very simple: the division. So that starts this week," said Swinney. "That's what's in front of us. And we know that we got a lot of improvement to do to be the type of team we want to be, overall and in this league. Our next challenge is Georgia Tech (Saturday's opponent), and they are a much-improved team in all areas."

FanDuel Sportsbook currently favors the Tigers by 28.5 points over visiting Georgia Tech.