Clemson might be No. 1 in first playoff rankings

Business as usual around the Clemson football program this week means every player and coach keeps his head down and his eyes on Saturday’s game against Florida State.

Undefeated and nationally ranked the first week in November won’t cash chips the first week in December, so Clemson players said it did not matter Monday that the College Football Playoff committee’s first top 25 of 2015 would be revealed Tuesday night on ESPN.

Reading the tea leaves and based on a variety of projections, Clemson could be No. 1 in the first ranking even though the traditional polls have the Tigers at No. 3 (AP media) and No. 5 (USA Today coaches).

ESPN, CBS sports, SB Nation and the Sporting News project Clemson to make the final four playoff teams.

Mississippi State, Florida State, Auburn and Ole Miss were atop the first CFB Top 25 in 2014. Alabama, Oregon, Florida State and Ohio State wound up being the playoff teams. Ohio State won the championship.

Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson said he would not have time to watch on Tuesday night. He planned to study.

“My main focus right now is getting these tests done this week and finishing up school, and then football,” Watson said. “It is still early in November. We have four or five more weeks to go and anything can happen. Those rankings are just numbers right now.”

Linebacker Ben Boulware, defensive end Shaq Lawson and center Jay Guillermo said they probably would be otherwise occupied during the show. Assistant coach Jeff Scott said his newborn at home consumes every available minute away from football.

Clemson’s metrics are even more favorable. The Massey composite ratings, including a number of computer calculations, have Clemson atop 33 of the 96 available lists including the College Football Power Index by ESPN and CBS Sports.

Vegasinsider.com, a clearinghouse for betting lines, now has Clemson the fourth favorite to win the national championship at 13-2 odds behind Ohio State, Alabama and Baylor.

The betting line for this week’s game is Clemson by 12 even though most of the players on the roster have never beaten Florida State.

Guillermo allowed that the recognition as No. 1 could be “cool,” but Scott said the ability to compartmentalize each game immunizes them from potential distractions, and it helps that Watson, the ultimate in cool, seems impervious.

“It is very easy to get caught up in it because it is on the national stage,” Scott said. Watson was selected Walter Camp and ACC offensive back of the week and for his performance in the 56-41 win over N.C. State. Watson passed for five touchdowns to five different receivers and rushed for a sixth.

“Deshaun has played in some big games, and not only that, I think he has an inner confidence, and I think the offense has an inner confidence among themselves,” Scott said. “They really trust our plan and trust that it really is about us.”

That the recognition was not instant irritated Boulware.

“I hope we are getting some respect,” he said. “We should have had respect from the get go. We have proven ourselves all season. It’s about time. It has taken everyone else too long to try and catch on to that train.

“It is kind of annoying it has taken this long in the season for people to realize how good we are.”

This story was originally published November 2, 2015 at 8:35 PM.