Don’t kick dirt on Clemson prematurely

With a lot of football still to be played, the early guess for the College Football Playoff seems obvious.

Alabama, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Clemson. Clemson?

Yes, Clemson. Despite the Tigers missing three defensive starters and Heisman Trophy favorite quarterback Trevor Lawrence, it took a gallant effort and two overtimes for Notre Dame to notch a home win against them.

The game was so big to the Fighting Irish faithful that they stormed the field, and now get to have a swab up their nose for a covid-19 test.

Notre Dame’s last four games are at Boston College (4-3), at North Carolina (5-2), Syracuse (1-6) and at Wake Forest (3-2).

After an off date, Clemson is at Florida State (1-5), hosts Pittsburgh (3-4) and at Virginia Tech (4-2).

Clemson most likely would need to beat Notre Dame in the ACC Championship Game to advance to the CFP.

Alabama at LSU (2-3) on Saturday has been postponed because of covid-19 at LSU. The Tide also have Kentucky (2-4), Auburn (4-2) and at Arkansas (3-3).

Ohio State, which has averaged 46 points in its first three wins, is at Maryland (2-1), hosts Indiana (3-0), at Illinois (0-3), at Michigan State (1-2) and hosts Michigan (1-2).

The only other possible contender is Texas A&M, where the virus has raised its ugly head this week.

If the Aggies win out, they could bump one of the ACC teams. Their game at Tennessee (2-4) on Saturday is postponed. They host Ole Miss (2-4) and LSU (2-3), and are at Auburn (4-2).

The SEC has made it through seven weeks of its schedule and, as expected, there has been interference by covid-19.

Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman will miss Saturday’s game at Florida. He said his biggest disappointment is not being there for quarterback Feleipe Franks’ return to The Swamp.

Franks was at Florida for four seasons before transferring to Arkansas.

His first goal is to get a win for the Razorbacks. His second goal, which he probably won’t admit out loud, is to outplay Florida quarterback Kyle Trask, who took his starting job with the Gators.

A couple of SEC schools have had their schedules uprooted already, and now there are problems at Mississippi State, LSU and Texas A&M.

All in all, it is probably about the best the SEC could have expected. Most schools have played six games, and the rest five.

A program that is making a lot of noise on the field and probably will eventually in the media is Cincinnati.

The Bearcats are 6-0 and have outscored their opponents 236-70.

They are the Alabama of the American Athletic Conference, but that’s the problem with them making the CFP: They are in the AAC, not the ACC.

Liberty University has had some serious off-field issues with its President Jerry Falwell Jr., son of founder Jerry Falwell, being forced out. But the Flames are red hot at football right now.

Coached by former Ole Miss and Arkansas State University coach Hugh Freeze, the Flames are 7-0 with wins over Syracuse and Virginia Tech from the ACC.

Last season, the Flames were 8-5 under Freeze, including a 23-16 win over Georgia Southern in the Cure Bowl in Orlando, Fla.

The Flames are playing an independent schedule and have games left with Western Carolina, at North Carolina State, UMass and at Coastal Carolina.

That final game should be on national TV, especially if both are still undefeated and ranked.

Freeze’s name is already being mentioned as a candidate at bigger programs.