The 2016/2017 Clemson Tigers own the second-worst College Football Playoff National Championship run, according to ESPN's Bill Connelly, who ranked all 64 teams ever to make the field ahead of the 2025/2026 CFP.
One of Connelly's major reasons for dinging the Tigers so heavily despite owning fewer losses than teams ahead of them was Clemson's unimpressive wins over the Auburn Tigers, Troy Trojans, and Bobby Petrino-coached, Lamar Jackson-powered Louisville Cardinals that year.
"Clemson nearly lost to Auburn, Troy and Lamar Jackson's Louisville team early and did lose to Pitt in mid-November. But as would become a Dabo Swinney custom, the Tigers turned into Angry Clemson after their loss, humiliating South Carolina, keeping Virginia Tech mostly at arm's reach and shutting out Ohio State.