Miami, Clemson Rise in Week 5 ACC Power Rankings
Saturday Blitz ACC Power Rankings Week 5
4. Clemson Tigers, 2-2 (1-1), Defeated North Carolina Tar Heels 56-41 Last Saturday
Clemson may be the best 2-2 team in college football. There is no shame in getting blown out in the opener against a very good Georgia team when you’re replacing half your players, and the Tigers definitely should have beaten Florida State two weeks ago, which makes them look even better with or without Winston on the field going against them. Now, a blowout win against the North Carolina Tar Heels suggests they have hit their stride this college football season.
The offense has clearly found a rhythm with Deshaun Watson as the starter after he threw for 435 yards and 6 touchdowns against UNC. Watson honestly looked very good against an incredibly talented FSU defense as well, so it looks like Dabo Swinney is going to want to stick with him going forward. As a whole, the Tigers look like they’ll rely on their passing game to get the job done this year, and the defense isn’t too shabby either.
With only four games played and a 1-1 ACC record, Clemson still has a great chance to accomplish a lot of the same things it accomplished last year. The team certainly has a bright future, and we can have even a better read on this team after N.C. State and Louisville over the next two weeks.