College Football Playoff Projections 2018: Official ranks loom after Week 9

2. Clemson (8-0)

Clemson feels like the most inevitable playoff team due to the weakness of the ACC. There doesn’t appear to be a serious contender on the horizon, with every other team in the conference competing for a distant second to the Tigers, who continue to rule the ACC with an iron fist.

Dabo Swinney made the decision a few weeks ago to hand the keys to his offense to true freshman wunderkind Trevor Lawrence, and the Clemson offense has been humming ever since. Lawrence is the ACC’s leader in passer efficiency and has topped 300 passing yards in Clemson’s last two wins.

Clemson’s latest shellacking came at the expense of Florida State, as the Tigers handed the Seminoles their largest ever defeat in Tallahassee. Clemson toyed with Florida State and emptied the bench early, going so far as to give a goal line carry to defensive lineman Christian Wilkins, who barreled through the Florida State defense for a touchdown.

The only potential stumbling block remaining between Clemson and a fourth straight trip to the College Football Playoff is a road game in two weeks in Chestnut Hill against Boston College. There doesn’t appear to be a team in the Coastal who will give Clemson a serious challenge in the ACC Championship game.

All roads appear to be heading for Alabama-Clemson IV.