ESPN updates postseason projections for Clemson

The loss over the weekend hasn't significantly altered the national Playoff projections for Clemson football.

Brandon Rink · Assoc. Editor / Staff Writer · Wednesday, September 03 2025

The loss over the weekend hasn't significantly altered the national Playoff projections for Clemson football.

The Tigers fell 17-10 to LSU, slipping to No. 8 in both the AP and Coaches polls.

ESPN projects Clemson to settle in that range with No. 7 and No. 10 predictions for final CFP seeding currently.

A spot here or there in that tier is the difference between hosting, which Mark Schlabach has a second Florida State visit to Death Valley, or hitting the road, where Kyle Bonagura has a repeat trip to Texas.

"I'm not going to overreact to season-opening losses for Texas, Notre Dame and Clemson, which faced three difficult tests. Clemson lost star receiver Antonio Williams to a hamstring injury on the second possession against LSU, which undoubtedly hurt the Tigers on offense. Clemson's offensive line has to play better, and the Tigers need to find a running game to take some pressure off quarterback Cade Klubnik," Schlabach said, who Texas hosting Notre Dame in the first round.

Neither predictor has Clemson advancing on to the quarterfinals.

Sporting News college football analyst Bill Bender has Clemson on the hosting side of the seeding, at No. 8, and Notre Dame coming to town.

"Here are two 0-1 teams that will have to claw their way back. Clemson lost to LSU, but the Tigers have enough talent on defense to make their push back in the ACC. Notre Dame will improve around new quarterback CJ Carr, who nearly led a fourth-quarter comeback against the Hurricanes. The margin of error for both teams is considerably less now, however," Bender said.

Bender has the winner facing Ohio State in the quarterfinals.