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Clemson Football: 3 takeaways from convincing win over NC State

By Justin Dottavio

CLEMSON, SC - OCTOBER 20: Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers and head coach Dave Doeren of the North Carolina State Wolfpack chat at midfield prior to their football game at Clemson Memorial Stadium on October 20, 2018 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Mike Comer/Getty Images)
CLEMSON, SC - OCTOBER 20: Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers and head coach Dave Doeren of the North Carolina State Wolfpack chat at midfield prior to their football game at Clemson Memorial Stadium on October 20, 2018 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Mike Comer/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

1. Clemson will cruise into the College Football Playoff

As the final seconds tick off a 41-7 drubbing over the NC State Wolfpack it’s obvious that Clemson is the head of the ACC class in 2018. The Tigers were in most pundits’ top 5 heading into the season and a College Football Playoff pick for most, too. Clemson is looking at a road trip to Florida State to face the struggling Seminoles in Willie Taggart’s first year in Tallahassee. The Tigers defense will be able to tee off on Deondre Francois as FSU has almost no running game to speak of.

Louisville has struggled greatly and if not for a huge buyout Bobby Petrino would be on the hot seat. However, he’s currently buying himself out of the hot seat as the Cardinals struggle. An offensive minded head football coach shouldn’t run an offense on the field that’s ranked in the bottom dozen of the S&P+ analytics, yet Petrino has.

The Boston College Eagles are plucky, especially in the dreary Chestnut Hill, Mass., weather. The Eagles have been without AJ Dillon and yet still ran for over 200 yards against the Louisville defense. If Dillion is out against Clemson, that’s trouble for the Eagles. If he’s in they have a really good chance to give Clemson a scare much like Syracuse did earlier in 2018.

Next. Projected AP Top 25 after Week 8. dark

As previously mentioned, Duke is one of the top rated programs Clemson will face. David Cutcliffe’s Blue Devils aren’t anywhere near as talented as as the Tigers but if anyone can draw up a game plan that puts their players in a position to win it’s Coach Cut. Then the Tigers end with rivalry week against the South Carolina Gamecocks. South Carolina entered Week 8 with a 3-3 record and Clemson should beat them handily.

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