Despite win, will Clemson fall in Week 4 college football rankings?

Clemson running back Will Shipley. (Syndication: The Greenville News)
Clemson running back Will Shipley. (Syndication: The Greenville News) /
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The Clemson Tigers look like a shell of their former selves. Will a near-upset to Georgia Tech have them falling in college football rankings for Week 4?

Clemson is still just where they needed to be after losing to Georgia in Week 1. They’re 2-1 and have a relatively simple path to the College Football Playoff.

The problem? Confidence in the 2021 squad is falling fast.

On Saturday, they needed a goal-line stand in the final seconds to avoid an upset against Georgia Tech. Could the voters punish them for it?

Clemson could fall in the college football rankings this week

The Tigers were only 40 points ahead of Texas A&M in the AP poll, so it’s within the realm of possibility the voters could put the Aggies ahead in recognition of Clemson’s struggles. Texas A&M had a rough time against Colorado in Week 2, but they bounced back against New Mexico without injured quarterback Haynes King.

It’s not a sure thing Clemson will fall. They may continue to get some leeway as they work to figure out their post-Trevor Lawrence offense. It helps that others around them in the rankings didn’t go wild this week. The Top 10 rankings look likely to stay relatively static in most places.

Suffice it to say, the Tigers won’t be able to justify their No. 6 ranking if they continue to struggle against Power 5 opposition. They’ve only scored two touchdowns this season against the Power 5.

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