COLUMBUS, Ohio – The dueling directives of both No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Ohio State are simple – avoid No. 3 Clemson.
That’s the best way to cast the race for No. 1 in the College Football Playoff standings, as whoever shuffles into the No. 4 slot in the College Football Playoff standings won’t loom as ominous as the defending national champions. The race for No. 1 means avoiding a Clemson team that appears likely to be cast as No. 3.
On the way to making a declarative statement to surpass LSU for the No. 1 spot in the College Football Playoff, No.