ESPN preseason college football bowl projections split between an Orange Bowl or Peach Bowl appearance for Clemson
Dabo Swinney and the Clemson football program have a big 2023 ahead of them, with a wide range of possible outcomes for their season.
As Week 0 fast approaches, bowl projections have been released as experts and analysts look to predict where each team will end up at the end of the season. Will your favorite team be successful and earn a bowl bid, or will they fall short of expectations?
The ACC is one of the most intriguing conferences in college football this season because of two teams. Clemson and Florida State. The battle for the conference is widely expected to be between these two programs.
So, how did these two programs fair in ESPN analysts Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach’s 2023 preseason college football bowl projections? They did well, but the two analysts lean toward Florida State being the better team.
Bonagura predicts a CFP Semifinal appearance for Florida State at the Allstate Sugar Bowl, with Clemson facing Ohio State in the Orange Bowl. Schlabach sees Florida State in the Orange Bowl and Clemson in the Peach Bowl.
In both situations, that would mean Florida State won the conference, as the Orange Bowl tie-in is for the ACC winner, and if Florida State made the CFP, they wouldn’t appear in the Orange Bowl. I doubt they’d project Florida State to make the CFP and lose the ACC Championship.
Clemson would enjoy an appearance in both of these bowls, but obviously, being the top team in the ACC is what matters more. The Tigers have an opportunity to make a statement in 2023 with a run to the CFP.
