5 reasons Clemson will still make the College Football Playoff

Despite a loss to Pitt in Week 11, the Clemson Tigers’ College Football Playoff hopes aren’t completely dashed

Going into their match up with the 5-4 Pittsburgh Panthers this past Saturday at home in Death Valley, Clemson was in a peculiar situation. They had opened the season 9-0 after coming in second in preseason rankings, yet many doubted them. They had escaped defeat earlier in the season with close victories over Auburn, Troy, Louisville and Florida State. Some of their play had been sloppy and their status as one of the best teams in the nation was slipping. Pitt beat the Tigers in an exciting 43-42 upset and many were left wondering just where Clemson now stands in the college football landscape.

The AP Poll came out this Sunday, and fans of Clemson were probably not pleased. The Tigers fell from three down to five after their 43-42 loss to Pittsburgh, finally taking a loss after surviving so many close games.  Their status in the College Football Playoff rankings has now gotten murkier.

How Clemson responds to this loss will likely decide the course of their season and there are a lot of reasons to believe that they can overcome adversity to fulfill their preseason expectations.

5. Their offensive talent is unreal

Clemson has a number of players who will find themselves playing on Sundays next fall. Quarterback Deshaun Watson became the first player in FCS history to pass for 4,000 yards and run for 1,000 in the same season last year. His third place Heisman finish was the best in Clemson history and his play this season has been strong enough that he will probably be a Heisman finalist once again. Watson has been touted as a highly-ranked pro prospect as well, and will likely find himself a first round draft pick if he closes the season strong.

Clemson’s offensive talent doesn’t begin and end with Deshaun Watson, though. Watson, running back Wayne Gallman, as well as receivers Mike Williams and Artavis Scott recently announced that they would be going pro at the end of the season, and all of these skill position players would be difference makers in the NFL next year. Senior tight end Jordan Leggett, junior guard Tyrone Crowder, and center Jay Guillermo are also candidates to be selected in next year’s draft.

Dabo Swinney should be praised for the program he has built at Clemson. They are recruiting well perennially and are bearing the fruits of that labor. They are loaded with pro players on both sides of the ball and have highly-ranked young players providing depth. There are only a certain number of teams in the nation who can match the talent that Clemson puts on the field and that makes a difference every Saturday. It has helped them compete every year, and retool instead of rebuild.