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College Football Playoff 2019: Projected top 4 after Week 14

By Oliver Hodgkinson

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 30: K.J. Hill #14 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates his second half touchdown with Jonah Jackson #73 and Branden Bowen #76 against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Ohio State won the game 56-27. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 30: K.J. Hill #14 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates his second half touchdown with Jonah Jackson #73 and Branden Bowen #76 against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Ohio State won the game 56-27. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

3. Clemson (12-0)

The reigning national champions continue to be the marmite team of the year. You either love them or hate them. Despite missing out on the top four in the initial College Football Playoff rankings of the year, the committee have seemingly loved them ever since.

After an imposing win over South Carolina on Saturday, don’t expect the undefeated Tigers to be anywhere lower than third. Especially when you consider that this South Carolina team inflicted the only defeat of the season on the team that I expect to see take the final spot in this week’s rankings.

I’ve gushed already about LSU’s range of offensive weaponry, but Clemson have an equally impressive array themselves. Trevor Lawrence looked clean and composed on his way to a three-touchdown day. Justyn Ross and Tee Higgins each had 100-plus receiving yards.

Defensively, they have conceded 20-plus points on just one occasion this season, the narrow win over North Carolina that has rejuvenated the Tigers season. They were efficient again against South Carolina, restricting the Gamecocks to just three points and 174 yards.

Clemson booked their ticket to the ACC Championship Game some time ago. Virginia earned the right to meet them there this weekend. The Cavaliers crept into the AP Top 25 poll this week, but aren’t the quality opposition that LSU or Ohio State will face at the weekend.

That has been the never-ending debate about the legitimacy of Clemson’s College Football Playoff aspirations.

All they can do is keep on winning.

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