Win or lose, Clemson football is in the 2020 College Football Playoff.
The latest version of the college football playoff committee is by far the worst yet but that will work in the favor of Clemson football.
One would think with names like Ronnie Lott, R.C. Slocum, Ken Hatfield, Gary Barta, and Todd Stansbury that this committee would understand college football, but the rankings in each of the last few weeks have told us a much different story.
That said, their insane inability to be consistent will work out for the Tigers should Clemson lose to the Irish Saturday afternoon in Charlotte.
When the Florida Gators lost at home last weekend to a terrible underwhelming LSU team, despite being a 30 point favorite, the committee dropped them just two spots. That was very eye-opening to a lot of people – especially since Miami lost to a ranked UNC team and dropped seven spots.
However, what their rankings said to me is that this committee values one thing and one thing only – the eye test. They are playing hypothetical games in their meetings to determine whether a team would beat another head to head.
Clemson football with two losses will get into the College Football Playoff.
There is no way that should Clemson lose close to Notre Dame for a second– on the road and on a neutral field – that this committee will keep Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne out of the college football playoff.
No person with a brain could rationalize Clemson losing a head to head to match up with Iowa State, Texas A&M, Florida, Oklahoma, Georgia, or Cincinnati. Given that this committee is clearly using the head to head scenario to dictate its weekly rankings, Clemson will be in the college football playoff win or lose on Saturday.
None of us want to test this theory and hopefully, the Tigers are able to take care of business on Saturday and remove the mystery from selection Sunday. Regardless of whether they are 2, 3, or 4 doesn’t matter, the Tigers have proven all they need is an opportunity.