Clemson Drops in Second AP Poll

The second edition of the 2022 AP Poll dropped on Tuesday with Clemson falling from #4 to #5 after a 41-10 win over Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Monday night. The Tigers used a strong second half to pull away from the Yellow Jackets, outscoring their opponents 27-7 in the final 30 minutes. DJ Uiagalelei completed 19/32 passes with 209 yards and 1 touchdown and ran 13 carries for 28 yards and 1 touchdown on the ground. Cade Klubnik played the final offensive drive, going 4/6 for 50 yards and 1 touchdown.

The Tigers relied on their defense to smother the Bees, totaling 2 sacks, 1 interception, and 2 blocked punts in an impressive showing. KJ Henry, Bryan Bresee, Barrett Carter, and Trenton Simpson all looked like All-Americans throughout the duration of the game.

Despite the strong performance, the Tigers once again saw themselves drop in a poll after a win. Interestingly, the Tigers fell behind Michigan, who played... Colorado State. I understand that the offense started slowly, but I find it perplexing to drop a team that won a conference game by 31 points behind a team that played a “cupcake.” It seems as though the national media still has doubts about Clemson, even after Clemson matched its total of 30+ point victories over Power 5 teams from last year (South Carolina, 30-0).

The Tigers still have some convincing to do when it comes to proving that they are a force to reckon with this year. Miami, Pitt, NC State. and Wake Forest all remain in the Top 25 with UNC and FSU receiving a few votes as well.