Is it time for the ACC to be concerned about its playoff future? Jeff Long said the vote between Clemson and Alabama at the top of the rankings was particularly close, while North Carolina couldn’t move beyond No. 10. If the Tar Heels pull the upset in the ACC championship game, it’s fair to start wondering if the ACC -- a league with three top-10 teams -- will be left out of the playoff altogether.
Record: 12-0 (8-0 ACC)
Rank: 1
Next big obstacle: Beat North Carolina, and the Tigers are in the playoff.
Reason for optimism: Clemson is in the exact position it needs to be. It's in control of whether it makes the College Football Playoff. Even better, there’s at least a small case that the Tigers belong in the playoff even with a loss to North Carolina. Their resume certainly would still compare favorably with Stanford or Ohio State.
Cause for concern: Clemson’s defense has struggled some of late, and as bodies wear down, UNC’s up-tempo style looks even more concerning. The Heels are a big-play offense, and Clemson gave up way too many big plays to South Carolina just a week ago. This is going to be a tough matchup.
Record: 11-1 (8-0)
Rank: 10
Next big obstacle: Clemson and the committee. Obviously the bigger obstacle is the Tigers, who won’t go down without a fight. But even if North Carolina can pull the upset in the ACC championship game, there are legitimate questions about whether it’ll be enough to sway the committee.
Reason for optimism: Of the nine teams ranked ahead of North Carolina, four are idle, two play each other and UNC gets its crack at No. 1. That leaves plenty of room for the standings to shift considerably after Saturday’s games.
Cause for concern: The committee has made it clear it doesn’t respect North Carolina’s 11-1 record, so would one more win -- even a big one -- make much of a difference? If the committee isn’t willing to see past the two FCS games, a weak regular-season schedule and a bad loss in Week 1, those things won’t change, even with a win over Clemson.