Is Clemson really about to ride in the wild wave of College Football Playoffs chaos straight to postseason berth?? With the ACC shaping up as one of the most competitive conferences in the new 12-team College Football Playoff format, Dabo Swinney’s Tigers are sitting on the edge of chaos and praying. At 9-2, No. 12 ranked Clemson needs a slight miracle—or just a bit more disorder—to sneak into the postseason without touching a conference title silverware. With Miami and SMU ahead in the pecking orders, the Tigers’ playoff dreams hinge on a massive win against a rival in Week 14 and a bit of help from the college football gods.

Clemson’s season has been a mix of highs and lows. They lost to high-ranked teams and always made a statement against low-ranked programs. CBS’s Sports’ Brad Crawford explains, “If Miami loses to Syracuse, Clemson is in the ACC title game against SMU. But even if they don’t, beating South Carolina would give Clemson a quality win down the stretch. I don’t see how you keep the Tigers out if chaos breaks the right way.” Chaos is the word of the day here– Clemson needs a seismic shift in the standings, and with recent upsets, that possibility feels more real than ever before.

Bryant McFadden adds, “The chaos we’ve seen makes it possible for the ACC to sneak in multiple teams. Clemson just has to take care of business against South Carolina.” In simple words, according to these CBS analysts, Clemson Tigers needs that W over there in the Week Finale of college football, in hopes of getting escorted into the playoffs without playing the ACC championship game. While the odds of the Tigers leaping over SMU or Miami aren’t great, the new playoff system has made room for surprises, and Swinney’s squad knows how to work their way through playoffs. For that to happen, they gotta go through the Gamecocks football.

Clemson Tigers vs. South Carolina Gamecocks: rivalry renewed

Saturday’s showdown isn’t just about bragging rights; it’s Clemson’s playoff lifeline. Heading into the rivalry game, Clemson is slightly favorite according to the bookies. But if you religiously follow college football, you very well know, South Carolina is no pushover. They have offense that can put up with every defense on the nations. Their red-shirt freshman quarterback LaNorris Sellers has been on fire, leading the gamecocks to five straight wins, including a dominant 44-20 thrashing of Texas A&M aggies. If it wasn’t for that 2 points loss to Alabama Crimson Roll Tide or that 3 points loss to Brian Kelly’s LSU squad, they’d be on top of the playoff talks.

On the other side. Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik has been a steady hand. Throwing for over 2,700 yards, 29 yards touchdowns, and only four interceptions, these numbers are insane. But here’s a kicker: Clemson Tigers led by Dabo Swinney, hasn’t beaten a ranked program all season. Losses to Louisville and a season opener 34-3 drubbing by Georgia Bulldogs have put a dent in their resume for the playoffs.

South Carolina’s offense will test Clemson’s defense in a way few teams have this season. If Sellers puts up a stellar of performance, Clemson could find itself in deep waters. But, as always in college football, it’s never wise to count Dabo Swinney out.

For Clemson, a win over their arch-rival on Saturday keeps their playoff dreams alive, even without an ACC championship appearance. For South Carolina, it’s a chance to play spoiler while proving they actually belong to the playoff. As the Tigers and Gamecocks gear up for their ultimate battle of the season. One thing is clear: the stakes couldn’t be higher.