Clemson drops four spots to No. 12 in the AP Top 25 after a 27–16 win over Troy as a 30.5-point favorite. The Tigers now head to unbeaten Georgia Tech with SP+ (No. 30) and FPI (No. 32) trending down.
Quick-Hit Takeaways:
- What happened: Voters docked Clemson for a less-than-convincing 27–16 home win over Troy. The Tigers were -30.5 and never pulled away, leading to a four-spot slide to No. 12 in Sunday’s AP Top 25.
- The trend: Clemson started No. 4 in the preseason, fell after the 17–10 loss to LSU, and slid again despite getting back in the win column.
- Underlying numbers: Efficiency models are cooling: ESPN SP+: No. 30 and FPI: No. 32.
- What’s next: A tricky ACC opener at 2–0 Georgia Tech on Saturday (Noon ET, ESPN) — Clemson’s first trip to Bobby Dodd Stadium since 2020.
- Why the drop: Troy found success on the ground in stretches, Clemson’s offense lacked knockout punches, and voters punished the gap between expectation (huge spread) and result (two-score win).
Full AP Poll after Week 2 below:
- Ohio State
- Penn State
- LSU
- Oregon
- Miami
- Georgia
- Texas
- Notre Dame
- Illinois
- Florida State
- South Carolina
- Clemson
- Oklahoma
- Iowa State
- Tennessee
- Texas A&M
- Ole Miss
- South Florida
- Alabama
- Utah
- Texas Tech
- Indiana
- Michigan
- Auburn
- Missouri
Bottom line: Clemson’s margin for error is thin. A clean, statement road win in Atlanta is the fastest way to stabilize the ranking — and the models