Break Out the ROY BUS in 2021… Clemson’s Schedule is Again Being Scrutinized.

Who else is getting tired of hearing media “experts” talk about Clemson’s schedule like they are playing high school teams. Just this morning, David Pollack was talking about the Clemson-Georgia game “After Georgia, who does Clemson play? Nobody. While Georgia has to go through the Alabama’s and the SEC schedule.” Amazing how just because they SAY something, it’s gospel.

Has anyone taken a look at Georgia’s schedule outside of Clemson? Florida is their toughest game after Week 1. According to the Returning Production Rankings (RPR) as of July 6, the Gators only return 57% of their production from last year. Preseason rankings have them at #12. The only other team they play, besides Clemson, with a winning record is Auburn (6-4), and they are preseason #28. They are ranked 74th in the recent RPR. UAB did have a 6-3 record with losses to Louisiana, Louisiana Tech and Miami. Will they challenge Georgia? No.

The rest of their schedule includes USC (2-8), Vanderbilt (0-9), Arkansas (3-7), Kentucky (4-6), Missouri (5-5), Tennessee (3-7), Charleston Southern (didn’t play in 2020) and Georgia Tech (3-7). Why is no one talking about THIS cakewalk? Because it’s the mighty and powerful S…..E….C. Outside of Clemson, the combined records of the remaining 10 teams is 40-58. Not exactly the most difficult schedule.

These “experts” love to say that Clemson “avoided” UNC and Miami, the two next toughest teams in the ACC, but Clemson didn’t make up the schedule. Georgia “avoided” Alabama, LSU and Texas A&M if that’s the case. The Tigers will likely play one of them in the ACC Championship game. Clemson will probably be double digit favorites in every game on their schedule outside of Georgia. Why? The talent on Clemson is just that much better at every position on the 2-deep.

The SEC has 12 players this year on the Maxwell Award Watch List, an award for the nation’s top football player. The ACC has 13. The “cupcake conference” has 6 quarterbacks named to the Davey O’Brien Watch List (top quarterback in the nation) while the SEC has 3. The Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player) lists 14 SEC players, while the ACC lists only 7, On the Fred Biletnikoff Award Watch List (best wide receiver), The ACC has 8 receivers on this list as opposed to 5 for the SEC. Linemen? The ACC outnumbers the SEC 14-11 on the number of players on the Outland Trophy Watch List (top interior lineman).

My point is, there is a lot of talent in the ACC and just because media “experts” continue to downplay the ACC as weak doesn’t automatically make it true. Nowhere does it say that the SEC isn’t the best conference in College Football, and adding Oklahoma and Texas in three years is going to add two more power house programs to the conference, but continuing the rhetoric that Clemson plays nobody is getting old, real old. Take a look at the Georgia schedule. Miami and North Carolina would go 10-2 against the bulldog schedule, 9-3 at worst.

The winner of the Clemson-Georgia game will likely finish the season 12-0 or 11-1 at worst. The loser of this game will finish 11-1 or 10-2 at worst. Both schools do not have the strongest of schedules but it doesn’t seem to matter. Keep piling on the Tigers. We are used to it.