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Clemson Football: A short list of preseason 2019 CFB Playoff contenders

By Shawn Spencer

SAN JOSE, CA - JANUARY 05: The media waits on players an coaches from the Alabama Crimson Tide during the College Football Playoff National Championship Media Day at SAP Center on January 5, 2019 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CA - JANUARY 05: The media waits on players an coaches from the Alabama Crimson Tide during the College Football Playoff National Championship Media Day at SAP Center on January 5, 2019 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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There are just a few programs around the nation that are truly CFB Playoff contenders in 2019, and Clemson football is one of them.

The 2019 Clemson football team is considered the favorite to get back to the CFB Playoff.

The Tigers have earned a playoff berth each of the last four seasons and have advanced to the National Championship game in three of the four years.

In each playoff run, Clemson has matched up with Alabama at some point in the postseason. The Tigers beat the Crimson Tide 44-16 in the most recent matchup between the two programs in last year’s National Championship game.

As we head into the 2019 College Football season, there are really only a few programs that are capable of making a run to the playoff at least as we see them now in the preseason.

Here’s a look at the short list of preseason CFB Playoff contenders heading into 2019 by conference.

2019 CFB Playoff Preseason Contenders:

ACC: Clemson

Big Ten: Ohio State, Michigan

Big 12: Oklahoma, Texas

Pac-12: Washington, Oregon

SEC: Alabama, Georgia

Non Power-5: Notre Dame, UCF

Thoughts:

Honestly, I’m not convinced on a few of these teams either. UCF isn’t going to the playoff. Michigan and Texas seemingly are taking steps forward, but are they really ready to be a playoff contender?

Washington and Oregon play in the Pac-12, which is probably the worst conference in America, and yet they still will probably go 10-2 at best.

Maybe there’s an SEC team like LSU, Florida or Texas A&M that could emerge this season to upend Bama or Georgia, but I just think those programs are still a couple of years away from being legitimate contenders to the likes of the Crimson Tide and the Bulldogs.

It really only comes down to a handful of teams: Clemson, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Notre Dame.

There could be a dark-horse that comes from outside that group of six, but I would be willing to bet that there is a much greater chance that the field of four teams comes from that group of programs.

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Clemson and Alabama are basically locks barring something unforeseen. Georgia, Ohio State and Oklahoma seem to be the favorites to win the other two spots. Maybe we see a program like Texas or Oregon emerge during the 2019 season.

But, it just doesn’t seem likely at this point.

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