Urban Meyer might be the last non-fan still believing in Clemson

Were we watching different games? I may be biased since my alma mater of Georgia wiped the floor with regional rival Clemson in Atlanta, but it devolved into a laugher pretty quickly in the second half. The Dawgs annihilated the Tigers to get one of the most impressive victories of Week 1. Clemson is not a bad team by any stretch of the imagination. My biggest concern is they are lacking any upside.

While appearing on "Big Noon Kickoff," FOX's Urban Meyer went to bat for Dabo Swinney's team. They are coaching peers, both of whom have won multiple national titles in major college football this century. However, Meyer's coaching peer has been so beyond reluctant to use the transfer portal to supplement Clemson's declining talent coming out of the high school level. It has lowered the ceiling.

Yes, Clemson did keep it close for two quarters, but Georgia's talent advantage ultimately prevailed.

“Clemson went shoe-to-shoe with the best team in the country, Georgia, at halftime," said Meyer, h/t On3 Sports. "Then it was over. Here’s the difference, the Power Five teams, Power Four teams, the best four or five teams in the country...”

After being interrupted by the hostile Michigan crowd at "Big Noon Kickoff," Meyer continued with this.

“The difference is the top rosters in the country have no weaknesses. You know why? After spring practice, you go like this and you get a free agent. Clemson hasn’t done that. They’re not one of the best four or five rosters. I still think they’re going to go to the playoffs. I think they’re going to win the ACC, but they’re not a national championship team … until you get the NIL and roster management going with the transfer portal.”

Meyer stated the obvious on Clemson's abhorrence to the portal, but did pick them to win the ACC.

Miami may prove to be consistently inconsistent, but what the Canes did in The Swamp was powerful.

Urban Meyer may be last non-Clemson fan on Earth defending the Tigers

I went back and forth in trying to figure out what Clemson could be this season. I settled on them being something like a 9-3 team. To be fair, I may have been more bullish on the ACC rival Florida State Seminoles, but that looks to have gone to hell in a hand basket faster than you can say conference realignment. At the end of the day, I don't hate Meyer's take, but I am not supporting it.

Georgia may have one of the best defenses in the country, but Clemson should not have looked that listless on offense. Cade Klubnik was supposedly every bit the five-star coming out of high school. He looks like the D.J. Uiagalelei you have at home. Phil Maffa is fun at quarterback, but what does offensive coordinator Garrett Riley have going for him besides having a very important last name?

While I am not about to cross off Clemson as a potential ACC champion, the Tigers are not built to compete with the best teams the Big Ten and SEC have to offer right now. They could win a game in the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff, but that might be it. For now, we have to wonder how much longer the Clemson administration is going to tolerate Swinney holding this program back now.

Last Saturday was a total referendum on the way Swinney has blindly chosen to build up his program.