Breaking down Clemson's 2025 College Football Playoff outlook

The 2025 College Football Playoff field is set, and the committee did a good job of making sure there were no real surprises. Sure, SMU got into the field over a trio of three-loss SEC teams including Alabama, but after the Mustangs fought back to a narrow loss against Clemson, losing on an incredible 56-yard field goal attempt, that wasn't really much of a shock.

So what do we make of the field, and the matchups? Let's run through the field from the bottom to the top, breaking down the good, the bad, and the path to the playoff for every team in the field. We're breaking down the field, team by team, starting at number 12: the Clemson Tigers.

Check out our full rundown of the Playoff field here:

Record: 10-3 (7-1 ACC)

How We Got Here: It wasn't always pretty, and it certainly didn't go how head coach Dabo Swinney would've liked, but the Clemson is back in the playoff for the first time in four years. The Tigers posted losses to Louisville, Georgia, and South Carolina, but mostly handled business in the ACC, backing into the title game (courtesy of a Miami loss to Syracuse) where they beat SMU on a last-second field goal to earn the conference's automatic bid, and the 12 seed.

RELATED: CFP excludes 18 teams ranked in preseason top 25

The Good: The Tigers have championship experience at the helm; Swinney's been to the playoff before, and while this is a much larger field, and will feature a true road game in the first round, he'll likely have the Tigers ready to compete. Quarterback Cade Clubnik has shown himself to be a legitimate dual-threat in recent weeks, breaking off big runs and making big plays with his arm as well. The defense has shown itself capable at times this season, keeping the Tigers in close games.

The Bad: Let's be honest: there's a reason Clemson is the 12 seed in this tournament, and no one was upset about it. This is not the Clemson of 2019; hell, this isn't even the Clemson of 2021.

Their talent at skill positions has been lackluster all season, and against the good teams on their schedule, Swinney's team has looked outmatched.

Georgia blew their doors off in the season opener, Louisville straight-up outgunned them, and Lanorris Sellers and the Gamecocks ripped them to shreds. On top of that, they needed a last-ditch comeback to beat a badly fading Pitt team, and allowed a mediocre Virginia Tech squad to hang with them.

They rank outside the top 20 in offensive EPA, and don't crack the top 10 in either passing or rushing. The defense is worse, ranking 30th, and they don't crack the top 25 in either rushing or passing defense.

Don't let the logo on the helmet fool you; this team is going to be in a fight for their lives.

Playoff Path: The Tigers have to travel to Austin and play Texas in the first round, which figures to be a BIG ask for this particular Clemson squad. If they survive the Longhorns, though, things get easier, as they'll face four-seed Arizona State, who is a challenger much more suited to Clemson's level.

The Verdict: I've got a bad feeling about Clemson in this bracket. They don't have the talent to hang with the best, and with the exception of the SMU game, they've lost every matchup against a good team this season. Making the field this year is going to have to be accomplishment enough, because the Tigers feel like they're going to be in for a world of hurt in the first round.

MORE TOP STORIES From the Big Lead
CFB: How the final Playoff rankings should look
NBA: LeBron turns back clock with chasedown block
CFB/NFL: What will Ashton Jeanty be like in the NFL?
MLB/SPORTS MEDIA: Jon Heyman loses it on WFAN