Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers
The Clemson Tigers are back in the College Football Playoff, securing their spot with a decisive win in the ACC Championship Game. But while their victory may have earned them the final berth in the playoff, there’s been plenty of debate surrounding whether the Tigers truly belong among the top teams in the country.
After being named the twelfth and final seed, some critics have gone as far as to label Clemson a “bid stealer”—claiming that their inclusion in the playoff came at the expense of more deserving teams, like Alabama. However, former Crimson Tide running back and Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram has pushed back against this notion, offering his praise for Clemson’s hard-earned spot.
Ingram, who spoke on The Triple Option, made it clear that he doesn’t see Clemson as a “bid stealer” at all. “They are the best team in the ACC,” Ingram said. “They played two of the best teams in the CFP rankings. They played Georgia in Week 1, which everyone thought Clemson was out of it. Like they were just canceling them off… just writing Clemson off. They continue to win their games.”
The Road to the Playoff: A Bumpy Ride for Clemson
Clemson’s path to the College Football Playoff was far from smooth. Early in the season, they faced Georgia in a tough Week 1 matchup—a game many thought would knock the Tigers out of playoff contention. Georgia proved to be a formidable opponent, leaving fans and pundits ready to write off Clemson’s playoff hopes.
But despite the early setback, the Tigers continued to stack up wins in the ACC, showcasing their dominance over the competition. The only two losses on their record came from tough non-conference games—one to South Carolina and another to an SEC opponent, which Ingram points out likely kept them from a higher seeding.
“If I’m Clemson, I never do that again, because if I don’t have those two non-conference games, I’m probably a top-five seed right now,” Ingram noted. It’s clear that the difficult non-conference slate—while it may have hurt Clemson’s overall record—wasn’t a true reflection of their potential.
Ingram’s Praise: Acknowledging Clemson’s Strength
Ingram doesn’t shy away from acknowledging the strength of Clemson’s ACC Championship performance. Despite a late-game surge from SMU, the Tigers dominated much of the game, securing their place in the playoff. “They pretty much dominated that game throughout the entirety of the game,” Ingram said, giving credit where it’s due.
Clemson’s performance in the ACC Championship Game was crucial for their playoff hopes. While they didn’t need to blow out their opponents, they showed the resilience and poise necessary for a playoff-caliber team. As Ingram points out, even with the help they needed to secure their place, they still took care of business when it mattered most.
“You have teams like Miami and SMU who didn’t play nobody, you know, they get in. But Clemson is — [they] showed why they are the best team in the ACC,” Ingram said. While some teams may have avoided the toughest challenges, Clemson didn’t shy away from scheduling heavyweights early in the season, even if the losses hurt their seeding.
The Tigers’ Playoff Matchup: Will They Shock the World?
Now, Clemson’s task is clear: prove they belong. They’ve made it into the playoff, but the Tigers will need to prove themselves once again on the field. Their first challenge will come against the SEC runner-up, the Texas Longhorns, in the first round of the playoff. This matchup is set for Dec. 21 at 4:00 p.m. ET, and it’s shaping up to be an intense showdown.
Texas will likely present one of the biggest challenges Clemson has faced all season. With a powerful offense and a top-tier defense, the Longhorns will test whether the Tigers are truly one of the best teams in the country. But with Dabo Swinney at the helm, you can never count Clemson out. Swinney’s ability to get the best out of his players when the stakes are highest has made the Tigers a constant playoff contender.
Clemson’s Path to the National Title
Whether Clemson is a “bid stealer” or a deserving playoff contender is up for debate, but the reality is that they’ve earned their spot. Despite some hiccups along the way, the Tigers continue to show resilience, and with the talent on their roster, they could very well make a deep run in the College Football Playoff.
For Mark Ingram, the question isn’t whether Clemson belongs, but rather how they’ll perform once they get their shot. “Big kudos to them,” Ingram said, acknowledging that the Tigers did what they had to do to earn a chance at a national title. Now, it’s time for Clemson to go out and prove the doubters wrong.
If they can get past Texas and continue their playoff run, the Clemson Tigers could be the team that shocks the world and makes a legitimate bid for the national championship in 2024. For now, all eyes will be on Dec. 21, when the Tigers take the field to prove their worthiness in the biggest stage of college football.
