Clemson entered the 2016 season with rather lofty expectations.
The Tigers were fresh off a national championship game appearance the year prior and returned plenty of starters from that group. Led by quarterback and preseason Heisman Trophy favorite Deshaun Watson, many predicted Clemson to be ACC champions and College Football Playoff qualifiers for the second year in a row.
That's exactly what happened, too, as the Tigers went 12-1 during the 2016 campaign and are scheduled to meet Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31. But their journey to back-to-back CFP appearances wasn't exactly as smooth as many anticipated.