Clemson's updated Playoff picture

(ACC photo)

by Brandon Rink - Staff Writer - Tue Dec 08 12:41:16 GMT-05:00 2020

The Clemson Tigers' path back to College Football Playoff has been simple since even the Nov. 7 loss at Notre Dame: win and they're in.

For several weeks now, the destination has seemed pretty apparent with that path as well: a first-ever trip to the Rose Bowl.

Although the site could very well change, that appears to remain the road ahead if Clemson can exact revenge in Charlotte next week against the Irish (Dec. 19/4 p.m./ABC).

CBS Sports projects yet another date with Ohio State in the CFP semis and Notre Dame slipping to a date with No. 1 Alabama in the Sugar. ESPN's Mark Schlabach picks the same, while coworker Kyle Bonagura finds a way for a Clemson-Alabama semifinal in the Sugar.

Tuesday night (7 p.m./ESPN) is the start of the last three CFP rankings with the final matchups to be set Dec. 20.

CBS Sports projects the top-9 in the CFP rankings staying the same this week, where Clemson would be third.

No. 7 Cincinnati had its slim hopes basically dashed this week with another game cancellation. They close their season playing for the AAC title Dec. 19 against Tulsa. Before that news, Texas A&M (7-1) was given the best odds to crack the top-4 by by ESPN's Playoff Predictor (30%), with SEC East champ Florida given a fairly slim chance to upset Alabama (14.5 chance to make Playoff). Notre Dame has more than double the chance of Texas A&M (64.4) despite metrics favoring Clemson to win next week (the Tigers a 6-point favorite with ESPN's SP+; 7-point favorite with FPI).