Phil Steele released his projected AP Top-25 today and the Clemson football team was ranked fifteenth in the nation.
Phil Steele, the national college football analyst, released his projected AP Top-25 earlier today. Each year around this time, Steele tries to put himself in the heads of the Associated Press voters to predict where they will have teams from around the nation. He has the Tigers ranked fifteenth in the nation. Keep in mind, this is not Steele’s preseason top-25, this is him trying to predict where the AP will put teams across the nation.
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As said above, Clemson comes into the ranking as number-15. I, personally, believe that is a little too low for the Tigers, but if you are not inside the program, you may think that the loss of all the defensive talent and the health, or lack thereof, of Deshaun Watson presents questions that should keep Clemson outside the top-15. With that being said, here is what Phil Steele said about the Tigers:
15. Clemson Tigers
The Tigers return an abundance of skill players including QB Deshaun Watson, who had 14 touchdowns and just two interceptions a season ago, their top four rushers and their top three receivers. Clemson’s defense, which ranked No. 1 in 2014, has a few holes to fill but is still talented. The trend line is good as well: After an upset win over No. 9 LSU in 2012, Clemson went on to finish No. 11 in the final rankings, and in 2013, the Tigers beat No. 7 Ohio State in their bowl to finish No. 8. After last season’s 40-6 lambasting of Oklahoma in the Russell Athletic Bowl to boost their final ranking to No. 15, you can expect the momentum to continue in Death Valley this season.
Steele will release his top-25 later this summer and I’d expect Clemson to be a little higher in his rankings, but I think he may have it pegged on the head where the AP voters will have the Tigers. Should Clemson start the season out with this ranking, especially since Florida State is ranked number-eight in this poll, the Tigers should be in good position to compete for a College Football Playoff spot with wins this season.
What do you think, Tiger fans? Where should Clemson be ranked to start this season?
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