ESPN Playoff reporter lays out scenario where undefeated Clemson is left out of CFP
As the number of undefeated teams continues to shrink in college football, Clemson seems to have cemented itself in the College Football Playoff discussion as most people see the Tigers winning out to finish the regular season undefeated. However, there is at least one scenario where the Tigers could still be left out from the top four teams in the CFP.
Heather Dinich, an ESPN reporter who covers the CFP and its committee, said on The David Glenn Show, that hypothetically, if Clemson sneaks by Wake Forest and South Carolina and wins but doesn’t look great in the ACC Championship Game against what will likely be a 3-loss Coastal division champ, then they open the door to potentially be left out as an undefeated conference champ.
She also clarified a misconception about the CFP committee.
“I think one of the most common is that the committee cares about what happens in previous years,” she said. “For example, Clemson’s national title and the fact that Big Ten champs have been left out, those things don’t matter.”
This is not good news for Dabo Swinney and a fan base that has been largely apoplectic about the defending national champion Tigers being ranked No. 5 in the initial rankings before they moved up to No. 3 this week, something that was greeted with sarcastic applause.
I’m so sick of hearing this kind of crap…all it does is give Dabo something to wine about..there’s absolutely no way they leave an undefeated Clemson out of playoffs… besides they should win all their remaining games by at least 3 tds…and that’s a bunch of crap…you really think playoff committee doesn’t remember what they did to Bama last year? Yeah right
What would look REALLY bad would be for Clemson to win out but look bad in their last few games, get into the CFP, then get totally smoked in their semifinal game.
Shame on the Committee if that happens…..
Ms. Dinich is totally correct in her assumptions about the possibility that Clemson could be left out at 13-0, while a 13-0 Ohio State, a 13-0 LSU, a 13-0 Baylor, and an 11-1 Alabama get in.
This just strengthens my conventions that there needs to be an 8-team playoff with the Power 5 conference champions getting automatic bids.
If I were the Clemson AD, and my team was 13-0 and defending national champs and relegated to the Orange Bowl, I’d decline the bid.
The goal of the playoffs should be to invite the best teams and not the teams that fit some stupid criteria that does not isolate the best teams but rewards teams for thoughtful scheduling 5 years ago.
Power 5 conference champions shouldn’t get automatic bids. you might have 12-0 Clemson lose to 8-4 or 9-3 team in ACC Conference Championship. That ACC Champion wouldn’t deserve to be in the playoff then. In fact, that happened some years ago to 2 or 3 conferences. It screwed the entire post season up with bad matchups cause conference champs had automatic bid to certain bowl games and those conference champions that year weren’t good teams but got matched up against a lot better teams for that reason.
I have forgot more about college ball than heather Dinich ever knew. I’m all for equal rights but most females have never EVER strapped on a helmet and played football so why should they be trying to give me insight Into the game. Only thing worse than the .com reporters is the ones trying to talk with the deep voice and call the crappy 12 o’clock games on tv. Automatic channel change for everyone I know.