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3 reasons Clemson, not Alabama should be No. 1 in the polls

By Rob Wolkenbrod

LOUISVILLE, KY - SEPTEMBER 16: Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers reacts in the first quarter of a game against the Louisville Cardinals at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium on September 16, 2017 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KY - SEPTEMBER 16: Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers reacts in the first quarter of a game against the Louisville Cardinals at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium on September 16, 2017 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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CLEMSON, SC – OCTOBER 01: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Louisville Cardinals in action against the Clemson Tigers during the game at Memorial Stadium on October 1, 2016 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

1. Strength of schedule

Clemson’s case comes down to the strength of schedule. Alabama played No. 3 Florida State in Week 1, but without quarterback Deondre Francois for the rest of the season, that win won’t look as impressive.

Aside from that, the side-by-side comparison favors the Tigers. They played two top-15 teams in three weeks, and with impressive performances.

The game against No. 13 Auburn was close, but displayed the defense’s talent. They limited quarterback Jarrett Stidham to just 79 passing yards and gave up just 38 yards on 42 carries. That was while Kelly Bryant broke out and led the offense, with over 225 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns.

The previously-noted Louisville game was all Clemson from the start. They controlled a team with a dynamic offense, one that was a popular pick to win this game, especially at home. However, the reigning champs charged in and found no issues.

The defense and Bryant were fantastic, but the effort went beyond them. Travis Etienne and Tavien Feaster had 90-plus yards each, while Ray-Ray McCloud had over 100 yards receiving. It was an all-around team effort that made Clemson look scary.

While the Tigers did this, Alabama faced … Fresno State and Colorado State. While respectable teams, they never gave Nick Saban’s squad a problem, as expected.

Next: College Football's 25 Best Rivalries

In the ensuing weeks to come, Clemson will play Boston College and No. 13 Virginia Tech. Alabama will face Vanderbilt and Mississippi. If the Hokies are knocked off, the team from South Carolina should slide into the No. 1 spot by the end of September.

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