Four things that could keep Clemson from winning the National Championship
The Clemson football team enters the 2020 season as one of the odds-on favorites to win the National Championship because of the massive amount of talent returning.
The Tigers will be led by the likes of Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne, Tyler Davis, Amari Rodgers, Jackson Carman and many other talented Clemson football players who are looking to avenge last year’s loss to LSU in the National Championship.
As we look ahead to the 2020 season, here are four things that could stop Clemson from that picture-perfect ending of winning the National Championship.
4. Media Perception
Even if we start the College Football season on time, there’s a shot that things could change due to the current pandemic and virus as the fall continues.
According to many analysts, we could see a situation where there isn’t a CFB Playoff. We may end up relying upon the AP Poll and the Coaches’ Poll to determine the National Championship just like the olden days.
If that’s the case, Clemson will likely be facing an uphill battle because of the Tigers’ strength of schedule compared to some of their competitors. Could the virus and media perception keep Clemson from being able to win the National Championship? It’s certainly possible.
3. Ohio State, Bama take major steps forward
There are only two teams coming into this season that I believe can compete with Clemson and beat the Tigers: Ohio State and Alabama.
It’s not to say that either the Buckeyes or the Crimson Tide would be favorites against Clemson, but it is to say that they have enough talent to be competitive.
Now, if Ohio State or Alabama have some young pieces come together and everything plays out perfectly for them- similar to LSU last year- Clemson could be faced in a situation where the Tigers just don’t quite have enough to get the job done in a postseason match-up. But that could just as easily go the other way, as well.
2. Losing Focus
Perhaps the greatest detriment to the Tigers this year may be not keeping focus.
Clemson is going to be favored by double-digits in every single game this year- even an away match-up with Notre Dame- so there’s no reason that they shouldn’t get through the 2020 regular season unscathed.
But there always seems to be that game where Clemson has to scratch-and-claw to get the job done. The Tigers easily could’ve lost to UNC last year. The year before it was Syracuse.
This team has to remain focused and realize that there’s no room for error as we head into the season.
1. Injuries
The main thing that can step between a team winning a championship and falling short is injuries.
Clemson already suffered a big blow when it was announced that WR Justyn Ross would be out for the season following surgery on his spine.
With Ross out, the Tigers have little depth built at the wide receiver position and the last thing they can afford is another loss on that offense.
Keeping players healthy and at full-strength is going to be important this year, as it is every season, and that could be the difference between Clemson coming away with another National Championship and coming up empty-handed.