FOX's Joel Klatt says Clemson has 'clearly fallen down a notch' |
When we last checked
in with FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt, he was decrying Clemson being treated like a “bluebood” with a No. 4 Playoff ranking despite a “unsettled” quarterback situation.
The result over the weekend at Notre Dame certainly did nothing to shake those beliefs, and he says there is a clear difference between the trajectory of Dabo Swinney’s and Nick Saban’s programs -- even with both outside the CFP picture currently. “Clemson has clearly fallen down a notch from where they were at the heyday of their run under Dabo Swinney,” said Klatt this week. “I can't say the same for Alabama. Alabama's going to be fine...There's this meandering path still for Alabama that keeps them alive...Clemson, even with a loss, with that resume -- absolutely not. Alright, committee? Absolutely not. They were going to be a really bad participant as an undefeated this year. Much less a team that actually lost a game. Clemson's done. “Committee, put them out of their misery. Their resume is not very good. They're not very good in the eye test. Nothing keeps them in the loop. Nothing keeps them with hope except for the ghost of Deshaun Watson and Hunter Renfrow and Trevor Lawrence and those guys aren't walking through that door. Clemson, this year, this Clemson team is done. Absolutely done.” Alabama is third and Clemson is eighth in ESPN's FPI rankings, while the Tigers are regarded as a notch above the Crimson Tide in Strength of Record (8th for Clemson; 9th for Alabama) but behind them in Strength of Schedule (6th for Alabama; 55th for Clemson). Klatt pointed to the types of games Clemson is struggling in versus Alabama’s issues. “I'm concerned because the teams that they're losing to and the teams that are playing them close,” Klatt said. “It doesn't take those 100,000-seat environments and a kick that barely goes in -- it doesn't take that. It doesn't take a 2-point conversion in the first overtime from a good LSU team. Look at their last three losses when you look at Clemson. They lost at Notre Dame, who lost to Stanford and Marshall in that stadium this season. They lost to Pitt. They lost to North Carolina State. “Those are the last three losses for the Clemson Tigers. Doesn't that ring a little different from Bama's three losses: at LSU, at Tennessee and Georgia in the natty? Rings a little bit different. By the way, they lose to Notre Dame and they played in one-possession games in wins against Syracuse, Florida State, Wake? Right? It's just different. “You've got to be playing at the top end of college football to play with or even try to beat Alabama. That's not the case with this Clemson team.” More from Klatt below:
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