I would love to sit down and talk to the College Football Playoff committee about this decision.
Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers landed at No. 12 in latest College Football Playoff rankings, locking them into a first round matchup at No. 5 Texas. I don’t have any problems with Clemson not getting a bye… It was a tough argument to make, even if I do believe the Tigers have more talent than Boise State and Arizona State.
My question is this: How do you put SMU over Clemson after the Tigers just beat them in the ACC Championship to secure their spot in the playoff?
Let’s start with the actual rankings. Clemson jumped one spot from No. 17 to No. 16. Earning the 12 seed, Clemson didn’t come close to the Top 12 in their rankings. SMU on the other hand, from No. 8 to No. 10. So, Clemson jumps one spot for winning the conference, but SMU staying in the Top 11 if you want to keep them in the CFP and keep Alabama out, that makes sense. What doesn’t make sense is them being ranked higher than a team they just lost to on a massive stage such as the ACC Championship.
I don’t see the logic behind this decision unless it was the absolutely only way to knock out the Crimson Tide. Clemson winning the ACC Championship saved their season and they’ll look to earn more respect when they face off against the Longhorns.
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