Thanks, committee: Fans react to Clemson being ranked No. 5
ESPN analyst Joey Galloway said in the lead up to the College Football Playoff rankings reveal that Clemson’s position would be most interesting to him.
When the first rankings of the season was announced, Clemson being at No. 5 behind Ohio State, LSU, Alabama and Penn State was seen as a big disrespect to the defending national champions in the fans, coaches and players’ eyes. Many fans and some of the ESPN analysts saw this as a blessing for Clemson.
“There’s nobody on Earth happier than Dabo Swinney right now,” host Rece Davis said of the Clemson coach, referring to the ability to motivate his team. “He’ll use this. They don’t respect us.”
Added Galloway, “If you’re Clemson, you’re sitting there thinking it doesn’t matter. Because Ohio State and Penn State have to play. Alabama, LSU have to play, we’ve got to win out. We’ve got to beat Wake Forest.”
Kirk Herbstreit added a different ankle.
“It’s more of what it represents if you’re Clemson and Dabo Swinney as the defending champs,” he said.
CFP Chair Rob Mullens said Penn State being ranked over Clemson was because of the Nittany Lions wins over Michigan and at Iowa.
“Penn State’s been very consistent, I think they held seven of their eight opponents to 13 points or less,” Mullens said. “Clemson’s coming along and playing their best football, but after Week 10, I think the committee felt that Penn State was a notch above.”
Was this all to do with near miss against North Carolina?
“It’s a piece of it, when you compare resumes, you look at every single game,” Mullens said. “That was a game, but equally for Penn State, winning against a ranked (Michigan) and a ranked Iowa were good wins for them.”
Fans and media collectively agreed with Swinney using this for motivation:
SOMEBODY TELL DABO TO PUT HIS NEW GLASSESON AND MAKE SURE HE SEES THE NUMBER 5 RANKING 😂
— Hope (@hopeusc1) November 6, 2019
Dabo Swinney will absolutely use this to motivate his team. The disrespect/Little Ole Clemson/ROY Bus card are 100 percent all coming out.
— Grace Raynor (@gmraynor) November 6, 2019
Worst part of these rankings is Dabo now has more material for his “aww shucks” and “little ol’ Clemson” nonsense.
— Marq Burnett (@Marq_Burnett) November 6, 2019
Clemson is 5 in the CFP rankings, fire up the ROY Bus and give Dabo a new sweatshirt. pic.twitter.com/e9QzWNyKrt
— THE OCULUS (@Clemson_Oculus) November 6, 2019
I can understand the argument for Clemson at #5. I just want us all to admit that if any recent National Champions (Bama or Ohio St) had Clemson’s current resume and were the defending champions, they wouldn’t be #5. That’s the frustrating part.
— Kelly Gramlich (@kellygramlich) November 6, 2019
Fire that sumbitch up, Dabo. We ridin’ to the Bayou. #ROYBus pic.twitter.com/4bTVUDlIwe
— Kenneth Kaltz (@K_Kaltz) November 6, 2019
When Dabo is on that stage in January with Reese Davis and @BHancockCFP talking about Little Ol Clemson and just happy to be on the ROY bus, remember, you did this. You brought this hell upon yourself.
— Justin Smith (@j_smitty2008) November 6, 2019