Clemson outside of top 10 in ESPN's preseason SP+ rankings

CLEMSON — The national perception seems to be that Florida State is the team to beat in the ACC for the 2023 season as many early polls have the Seminoles ranked higher than Clemson.

The latest rankings that have FSU above Clemson are ESPN’s SP+ rankings.

ESPN’s Billy Connelly released his first SP+ rankings for 2023 on Tuesday, and Florida State is the highest ranked ACC team at No. 11. Clemson is not far behind at No. 12.

Connelly’s SP+ rankings take into account returning production, recent recruiting and recent history.

Clemson finished the 2022 season at No. 14 in the SP+ rankings, which was still the highest-ranked ACC team. Florida State was the next highest ACC team at No. 27.

According to Connelly, Florida State is ahead of Clemson for the 2023 season due in large part to its returning production.

“Last season’s late surge, combined with the nation’s best returning production percentage, has eased Florida State ever-so-slightly ahead of Clemson in these rankings,” Connelly said. “But the Tigers remain awfully dangerous.”

Clemson has won seven of the past eight ACC championships and has won seven consecutive games against the Seminoles.

There is a real possibility that the two premier programs in the ACC could play twice in 2023. The league has gone away from divisions, clearing the way for the two teams with the best record in the ACC to face off in the conference title game.

Here’s where Clemson stacks up in the SP+ rankings against the rest of the ACC:

Where ACC teams rank in SP+ rankings

No. 11 Florida State

No. 12 Clemson

No. 28 North Carolina

No. 36 Louisville

No. 40 Pittsburgh

No. 42 Miami

No. 46 NC State

No. 52 Wake Forest

No. 56 Duke

No. 59 Syracuse

No. 69 Virginia Tech

No. 70 Georgia Tech

No. 72 Boston College

No. 76 Virginia

Where Clemson opponents rank in SP+ rankings

Week 1: Monday Sept. 4 at Duke — No. 56

Week 2: Saturday, Sept. 9 vs. Charleston Southern — N/A (FCS)

Week 3: Saturday, Sept. 16 vs. Florida Atlantic — No. 81

Week 4: Saturday, Sept. 23 vs. FSU — No. 11

Week 5: Saturday, Sept. 30 at Syracuse — No. 59

Week 6: Saturday, Oct. 7 vs. Wake Forest — No. 52

Week 7: Saturday, Oct. 14 — Bye week

Week 8: Saturday, Oct. 21 at Miami — No. 42

Week 9: Saturday, Oct. 28 at NC State — No. 46

Week 10: Saturday, Nov. 4 vs. Notre Dame — No. 15

Week 11: Saturday, Nov. 11 vs. Georgia Tech — No. 70

Week 12: Saturday, Nov. 18 vs. UNC — No. 28

Week 13: Saturday, Nov. 25 at South Carolina — No. 33