Paul Finebaum is one that has strong thoughts about Clemson. That includes his latest take on the Tigers today and where they fit into the frame of conference realignment.
Finebaum discussed Clemson’s options as a candidate in the next round of realignment during ‘McElroy and Cubelic In The Morning’ on Monday. Considering several things, he doesn’t view the Tigers as an enticing of addition for a new league as they may have once been.
“I think they’re already less attractive, Greg,” said Finebaum.
Clemson’s slip from the top-tier of college football has much to do with that. After making six straight appearances in the playoff with two titles to show for it, they haven’t been back in three seasons, even though they’ve continued to win at a quality level and maintain high rankings.
However, Finebaum also doesn’t see them among the top brands from the ACC either. He named at least three other schools that could make a case as better insertions for interested leagues than Clemson.
Those two opinions make the Tigers far less tempting than they might have once been for Finebaum.
“Clemson, if you go back to 2016, 2017, 2018? They were at the epicenter. We all joked about how boring it is that Alabama and Clemson play each other every year. Nobody is saying that anymore,” said Finebaum. “They weren’t that big of a name until then. Clemson has always been a good football school but it has never been a main attraction like an Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Michigan, or Ohio State. Now they’ve fallen off of that.”
“I think their biggest concerns are even within their own league. We know Florida State has pulled ahead of them. There are other schools that could do that as well. Miami is one that you just have to wonder. If they get it right under Mario Cristobal then that’s another school that could inch ahead of them,” Finebaum said. “As you start divvying up the schools? We’ve already had discussions and conversations about who’s most attractive in the ACC. North Carolina is more attractive than them. Arguably Florida State would be but that’s simply dependent upon if you have the stomach for what they’ve been doing the last two years. Clemson has one toe in the water in that as well so that immediately makes them less attractive.”
Realignment takes a lot into account when leagues look at teams to consider eventually adding. Still, no matter what the criteria, Finebaum doesn’t know how many they meet anymore, especially in a sport that’s all about the biggest brands you can have.
“Again, it’s about brand matchups, Greg,” said Finebaum. “You’re at the biggest games of the week. You know what I’m talking about more than anyone. It’s not just your geography because we’ve almost moved past that in college football with the era that we’re in.”
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