Clemson stays No. 1. North Carolina jumps into the top 25. Those two teams are on a collision course for the ACC championship game, but the Tigers clearly have the better shot to reach the playoff.
Record: 9-0 (6-0 ACC)
Rank: 1
Next big obstacle: Dabo Swinney will say the next game is always the biggest game, but with the final three regular-season opponents sporting a combined record of 9-18, it's fair to say the Tigers shouldn't be challenged again until the ACC championship game.
Reason for optimism: The path is clear: Keep winning, and Clemson is in.