College Football Rankings 2020: Projected AP Top 25 for Week 12

Clemson had a scheduled weekend off after their game against Notre Dame. That means the Tigers have to wait two weeks to try to regain their footing after the double-overtime defeat in South Bend. Given that they only fell three spots in the AP Top 25 despite the loss on the road, and given how few teams in the top 10 are playing this week, there is no reason to think that Clemson will slip out of a top-four spot this week.

When they return to the field, they will get Trevor Lawrence back at quarterback. Sidelined by COVID-19, Lawrence missed two games including the loss against the Irish. Offense wasn’t the issue in his absence, though, as D.J. Uiaigalelei confirmed that Clemson will be fine even after Lawrence heads off to the NFL. The issue in South Carolina this season has been a defense that slid off over the past few weeks in giving up 28 to Boston College and 47 to Notre Dame.

Getting that side of the ball tightened back up is the key for Dabo Swinney’s staff heading into Week 12, when they will return to the field with a road trip to Tallahassee to square off against Florida State. Pitt and Virginia Tech round out the schedule for the Tigers, and they will be favored in all three games as they try to claim a sixth straight College Football Playoff berth this year despite a loss on their record.