What does Clemson need to make the College Football Playoff?

Here’s how the Clemson Tigers can make the College Football Playoff after they were listed as the No. 8 team in the latest rankings.

The Clemson Tigers lost their very first game of the season back in Week 9 in convincing fashion against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. With that loss, many predicted that Clemson’s chances of making the College Football Playoff were dead. That wasn’t the case, considering all of the chaotic things to happen in the weeks following the aforementioned game.

Now, in the latest Playoff rankings, Clemson was ranked No. 8 in the entire nation. Shockingly, they’re still ranked behind Alabama in the rankings.

Bud don’t worry Clemson fans, they still have a shot at making the Playoff, and they need these things to happen.

How Clemson can make the College Football Playoff

First things first, and this is non-negotiable — they need to win their remaining games this season. That’s right. They need to defeat the South Carolina Gamecocks this weekend, the very team that blew out the Tennessee Volunteers this past weekend. Then, and most importantly, they need to defeat the North Carolina Tar Heels in the ACC Championship Game on Dec. 3.

As for that, they need two of these three things to happen:

1. Loser of Ohio State vs. Michigan get blown out in The Game or the winner loses in Big Ten Championship Game
2. USC Trojans lose either to Notre Dame in rivalry week, or in the Pac-12 Championship Game
3. TCU Horned Frogs lose to either Iowa State Cyclones or in the Big 12 Championship Game

Luckily for Clemson, two of the top four teams face off in the biggest rivalry game in college football. But, they would need to bank on the loser of Ohio State vs. Michigan to get defeated in huge fashion. We’re talking a blowout loss. Either that or they need the winner to lose to their opponents in the Big Ten Championship Game.

The USC Trojans are skyrocketing up the rankings, as they benefit from Tennessee losing in Week 12, and Caleb Williams playing like the Heisman favorite. But their path is far from easy. They have to face Notre Dame, who is playing their best football after a slow start to the season. Then, they face either Oregon, Washington, or Utah. Clemson would need USC to lose one of those games.

Clemson needs TCU to suffer a loss in the next two weeks. They are probably the least convincing team of the undefeated squads, so a loss could eliminate them from Playoff contention altogether.

So there you have it Clemson fans. You need the team to win their final two games this season and for two of the scenarios listed above to transpire for the Tigers to have a shot at clinching a Playoff berth.

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