College Football 2020: 5 bold predictions for Championship Weekend

5. Clemson beats Notre Dame for boring playoff announcement

One of the last questions for the College Football Playoff committee is to see if the No. 3 Clemson Tigers (9-1) are worthy of one of the four best teams in the nation. The Tigers are 10.5-point favorites over the No. 2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-0) this Saturday in the 2020 ACC Championship Game.

The Tigers are looking to get revenge on the Irish for their 47-40 double-overtime loss in South Bend. Clemson went in the game without their star quarterback Trevor Lawrence and several of their defensive playmakers. The Tigers only accounted for 34 rushing yards against the Irish’s defense as their defense gave up 518 total yards. Notre Dame also won the turnover battle over Clemson 3-1.

This Saturday, the Tigers are looking to showcase their offense that ranks fifth in the nation in points per game (46) and sixth in passing yards per game (334.2). Their defense will be back to their top playing-level performance against the Irish with their starters back on the field.

With the Tigers winning this conference title game against the Irish, it will set up one of the easiest final four decisions for the College Football Playoff committee. Unless they feel that the Irish’s loss does not put them as one of the top four teams in the nation, it will be unlikely that the committee will move No. 5 Texas A&M (9-1) into the final four, especially without a conference title appearance.

The committee made their intentions with other teams clear when they decided to move the undefeated Cincinnati Bearcats to eighth in the nation. The biggest question for the committee is the positioning on where they put Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame and Ohio State in the top four.