Texas A&M Football schedule: 5 toughest games in the 2018 season
By Jeff Shull
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Clemson Tigers Final 2017 ranking: 4
Scouting Report
Jimbo Fisher could not escape Dabo Swinney despite leaving the ACC for the SEC. Texas A&M has a home-and-home scheduled with Clemson for this year and next — so much for SEC teams not having a tough non-conference opponent. This is about as tough as it gets.
Clemson could end up having FOUR defensive linemen go in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, if you believe the way-too-early projections. That is just absurd, and not a good look for the Aggies who struggled along the offensive line both last year and against their own stacked defensive line in the Maroon And White game. They lost starting left tackle Koda Martin unexpectedly this spring as well.
In total, Clemson returns 18 starters from a team that finished fourth in the national rankings and participated in the College Football Playoff. They have been national title contenders in each of the last few seasons and should expect to do the same in 2018.
Expecting Fisher to take over a 7-6 team and beat a top three opponent in the second game of his tenure is asking a lot, but this is the kind of game A&M gave him $75 million to win. A&M will not be the more talented of the two teams. Having said that, there is no excuse to get blown off of your home turf.