ORLANDO, Fla. -- There were slumps, there were turnovers and there was a loss. Yet here No. 3 Clemson stands as Selection Day begins, right where it needed to be: at midfield of the ACC championship game celebrating, having punched its ticket to the College Football Playoff.
This is where the Tigers will write the story of their 2016 season. After a 42-35 win over No. 23 Virginia Tech, any remaining pressure to return to the postseason is off. The victory mirrored the season with its ups and downs, but now Clemson likely will head west to the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl.