Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 38

Thread: Clemson A Lock for CFP Playoff According to ESPN FPI

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    4,759

    Default Clemson A Lock for CFP Playoff According to ESPN FPI

    College football's goliaths have only gotten stronger.

    A year ago, it seemed either Alabama or Clemson were almost destined to hoist the national championship trophy. Now, even more so.

    Let's start with the most outrageous number: According to ESPN's Playoff Predictor, the Tigers have an 83 percent chance to reach the playoff.

    Though they lost some imposing defensive talent in their front seven, the reigning champs have stability at head coach and a superstar talent returning at quarterback in Trevor Lawrence -- both key factors in earning the confidence of ESPN's Football Power Index. And while FPI had Clemson as the top team this time last year, it thinks this season's squad is almost 4 points per game better than what it thought of Dabo Swinney's team 12 months ago.

    Add in the fact that the Tigers' schedule rates as only the 56th-hardest among FBS teams, and it's just hard to fathom how Clemson could not make the committee's top four come Selection Day. We'll hazard a guess that over the next decade, no team will have a higher preseason chance to reach the playoff -- per our model -- than Clemson has right now.

    To put the Tigers' schedule into perspective: Their most difficult game, per FPI, is at South Carolina on Nov. 30. Alabama also plays at South Carolina, but that game is the Crimson Tide's fifth-most difficult game.

    Not that Alabama is in rough shape. The Tide have a 71 percent chance to reach the playoff -- trailing Clemson, yes, but well ahead of where Playoff Predictor had Alabama a year ago. Though our impression of Alabama took a hit in last season's national championship game, the Tide also have tremendous potential, with Tua Tagovailoa at the helm of the offense again.

    Ultimately, there is a 23 percent shot that Alabama and Clemson meet again in the national championship game. And whether they play each other or not, there's a 64 percent chance one of the two ends up as champion.

    Michigan, Georgia lead group of challengers

    While the Tigers and Tide being the top playoff candidates is a surprise to exactly no one, the next-most likely team to earn the affection of the selection committee might raise some eyebrows: Michigan.

    The Wolverines have failed to reach the playoff thus far, but they are in a better situation now than ever in the playoff era. Coach Jim Harbaugh is bringing back eight starters on offense, including quarterback Shea Patterson, who tied for eighth in Total QBR a season ago.

    The result is that FPI expects Michigan to have the best offense (and team) in the Big Ten, catching some of its division rivals in what could be a down season. Ultimately, Playoff Predictor thinks Michigan has a 41 percent shot at the playoff. However, it's worth noting that FPI is awfully low on Ohio State -- maybe even too low -- because it isn't explicitly aware that the Buckeyes have added via transfer an elite quarterback prospect in Justin Fields (transfer QBs in FPI are noted only when they have significant starting experience).

    On the other hand, a new head coach-QB tandem does increase variance for Ohio State, and when you're at the top, variance is a bad thing. No team is in better position than Michigan to seize the reins of the Big Ten and take advantage if the new crew in Columbus doesn't work out right away.

    Though Georgia -- which also is bringing back a known quantity in Jake Fromm at QB -- is a longer shot to reach the playoff than Michigan, it has a better chance of actually winning the national championship. It makes sense: Most (including FPI) would agree that the Bulldogs are better than the Wolverines, but their path the top four is more complicated with Alabama and LSU in the same conference.

    http://www.espn.com/college-football...makes-top-four

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    4,759

    Default

    South Carolina faces toughest schedule

    It's no surprise given that the Gamecocks face both participants in last season's national championship game (in addition to a road contest at Georgia), but Will Muschamp and his team are staring at the hardest schedule in college football. As a result, the Gamecocks are projected to win only 6.1 games despite being FPI's No. 18-ranked team.

    Difficult slates abound across the SEC -- which boasts 10 of FPI's top 20 teams -- and the Pac-12 due to aforementioned depth. The teams with the 10 most difficult schedules all play in one of the two conferences. At the top, South Carolina is followed by USC, Florida, Stanford and Georgia. The Crimson Tide rank 20th in strength of schedule.

    Virginia Tech faces the easiest schedule among Power 5 teams.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    28,018

    Default

    Last edited by ecu1984; 04-17-2019 at 08:42 PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    FROG LEVEL
    Posts
    23,785

    Default

    Go ahead a make plans to bring the Hog cooker or do I have to remind you
    Gettin old is for pussies! AND MY NEW TRUE people say like Capt. Tom >>>>>>>>>/
    "Wow, often imitated but never duplicated. No one can do it like the master. My hat is off to you DRDUCK!"

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Posts
    15,351

    Default

    Ecu what's the point of your post? 2018 schedule is so 2018
    Amendment II A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

    Quote Originally Posted by Highstrung View Post
    I like fishing topwater. Will one of you jot down some of this redneck ghetto slang and the definitions for those of us who weren't born with a plastic spoon in our mouths?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Pawleys Island
    Posts
    35,933

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Chuck the Duck Slayer View Post
    Ecu what's the point of your post? 2018 schedule is so 2018
    He’s saying 6 is a sure thing and Clemson should repeat.
    Yeah, but do you consider a dog to be a filthy animal? I wouldn't go so far as to call a dog filthy but they're definitely dirty. But, a dog's got personality. Personality goes a long way.


    You might take out a dozen before they drag you from your home and skull fuck you to death. Marsh Chicken 6/21/2013

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Murrells Inlet, SC
    Posts
    5,075

    Default

    It is no surprise that Clemson is considered to be a lock to be in the playoffs. Is this news to anyone??
    Clemson is head-and-shoulders above any other team in the ACC. It will be that way for a while. Remove Clemson from the ACC and you could replace them with, at least, 5 or 6 other teams and that team would also be a lock for the playoffs. The ACC is as weak as Popeye's old lady, Olive Oyl. Besides that, Clemson is certainly good enough that they should have no trouble getting past their out of conference games...they are, after all, the National Champions.
    Last edited by MKW; 04-18-2019 at 02:41 PM.
    Crops are harvested, animals are killed.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    SC
    Posts
    24,410

    Default

    When SC is your toughest opponent, you are destined for the CFP's.

    They start out at #1 and will be #1 when the playoffs start...……..and a real possibility to end up that way.
    Last edited by Catdaddy; 04-18-2019 at 03:23 PM.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Holly Hill
    Posts
    2,446

    Default

    Y'all want a biscuit with that jelly

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Location
    Wateree, South Carolina
    Posts
    48,808

    Default

    No doubt cheating to win championships* is better than not winning at all.

    We will be over here going 4-7 while trying to lure the Assistant librarian at East Nevada Tech to come be our President, hoping she has sense enough to put our baseball coach back where the fuck he belongs...

  11. #11
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Mt. Pleasant, SC
    Posts
    757

    Default

    ESPN Dude says aTm is Bama's toughest opponent this year, but somehow thinks UofSC is tougher than aTm on Clemson's schedule??? Must be the home vs away ... or he could just be a dumbass.

    Ironically, I was just thinking the other day that a little part of me actually misses ECUbestwinoflastyearwasa21pointloss predicting us going "Back to the Shitter"! Did he finally give up on that?

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    28,018

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Chuck the Duck Slayer View Post
    Ecu what's the point of your post? 2018 schedule is so Climp5in
    Yep

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    united states of america
    Posts
    21,584

    Default

    15-0 envy

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    FROG LEVEL
    Posts
    23,785

    Default

    Yep
    Gettin old is for pussies! AND MY NEW TRUE people say like Capt. Tom >>>>>>>>>/
    "Wow, often imitated but never duplicated. No one can do it like the master. My hat is off to you DRDUCK!"

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    In a house
    Posts
    8,437

    Default

    I don't care who you play.... To go 15/0 is tough to do.
    "I'm just a victim of a circumstance"

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    In the middle of it
    Posts
    8,166

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by MKW View Post
    It is no surprise that Clemson is considered to be a lock to be in the playoffs. Is this news to anyone??
    Clemson is head-and-shoulders above any other team in the ACC. It will be that way for a while. Remove Clemson from the ACC and you could replace them with, at least, 5 or 6 other teams and that team would also be a lock for the playoffs. The ACC is as weak as Popeye's old lady, Olive Oyl. Besides that, Clemson is certainly good enough that they should have no trouble getting past their out of conference games...they are, after all, the National Champions.

    Are you saying that were Clemson not in the ACC, that they wouldn’t be able to get to the playoffs?
    Last edited by wskinner; 04-18-2019 at 09:37 PM.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Anderson
    Posts
    953

    Default

    Anybody who thinks the s Carolina game is “tougher” than aTm is smoking something. You boys want to pound your chest about the SEC, so, no whining when you actually get the tougher games from the west. The last few years, with the exception of Georgia, the east has been as weak as water. Chump has a bunch of his boys on the field now, so, it’s time to step up. At least you don’t have Virginia to worry about this year.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    South Florida
    Posts
    2,423

    Default

    Y'all are getting started with this shit awful early this year
    "Hunt today to kill tomorrow." - Ron Jolly

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Murrells Inlet, SC
    Posts
    5,075

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by wskinner View Post
    Are you saying that were Clemson not in the ACC, that they wouldn’t be able to get to the playoffs?
    No...I'm not saying that.
    Last edited by MKW; 04-19-2019 at 09:51 AM.
    Crops are harvested, animals are killed.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    SC
    Posts
    24,410

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by wskinner View Post
    Are you saying that were Clemson not in the ACC, that they wouldn’t be able to get to the playoffs?
    Four and five stars plus Ostarine = men vs boys.

    Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •