ESPN's Dinich: Clemson the One-Loss Team with Best Path to Playoff

With September in the books, we’re one month closer to the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff, and some playoff contenders have positioned themselves better than others after the first month of the 2024 season.

Clemson is one of those teams in a good spot as things stand now in the playoff hunt entering Week 6, according to ESPN’s Heather Dinich.

Despite the one-sided defeat to Georgia in the season-opener, Dinich sees the Tigers (3-1, 2-0 ACC) as the one-loss team at the end of September with the best path to the playoff.

Dinich, ESPN’s foremost CFP insider, explained why she believes that to be the case.

“First, the Tigers have a manageable schedule the rest of the way,” Dinich wrote in an ESPN article (subscription required) published Thursday. “Their toughest remaining game is against Louisville, and they’ve got home field advantage Nov. 2. Second, they have a great shot to win the ACC if they can sustain this offensive improvement, and the five highest ranked conference champs are guaranteed a spot in the playoff. Let’s add a third reason — the loss to Georgia (even as lopsided as it was), was still a neutral-site loss to what should be a top-10 team.

“Even though the Tigers might not face multiple ranked opponents, the committee will still respect road wins at Virginia Tech and Pitt, plus a win against SEC rival South Carolina. ESPN Analytics gives Clemson at least a 50% chance to win each of its remaining games. If that comes to fruition, its path to the playoff likely runs through Miami in the ACC title game.”

As Dinich mentioned, the 12-team playoff field will feature the five highest-ranked conference champions. The next seven highest-ranked teams, as determined by the CFP selection committee, will also make the playoff. The four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded one through four and receive first-round byes, with the fifth highest-ranked conference champion being seeded where it was ranked, or at No. 12 if its final ranking lands outside of the top 12.

Clemson is looking to return to the playoff for the first time since 2020 following six straight playoff appearances in the four-team field from 2015-20.

Following the loss to Georgia, the Tigers will try to earn their fourth straight victory when they face Florida State (1-4, 1-3 ACC) at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee on Saturday (7 p.m., ESPN).

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