Clemson’s 2020 CFP Championship Odds and Season Win Total Unchanged after Galloway, Giella Suspensions

• Clemson Tigers TE Braden Galloway and OL Zach Giella were suspended for the 2019 NCAA season
• Both players failed a drug test
• Despite the suspension, the odds of the Tigers defending their CFP Championship and Clemson’s season win totals remain unchanged

The Clemson Tigers rolled the mighty Alabama Crimson Tide to win the CFP Championship last season. After an accomplishment that significant, evidently the top sportsbooks are nonplussed by the Tigers losing a couple of key players to season-long suspensions.

Attorney for Clemson’s Braden Galloway & Zach Giella says NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports denied their appeal & both are ineligible for 2019 season after testing positive for Ostarine before @CFBPlayoff

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) May 24, 2019

Both tight end Braden Galloway and offensive line Zach Giella were suspended after failing a PED test prior to last year’s Cotton Bowl. The players tested positive for Ostarine. It’s a performance-enhancing drug used for muscle-building. The drug is currently on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of prohibited substances. The NCAA denied their appeals.

Clemson Tight end Braden Galloway and Offensive Lineman Zack Giella will miss the entire 2019 football season after testing positive for PEDs in December of 2018 before college football playoffs and there appeal was denied pic.twitter.com/JdJbbzXaL5

— CFBpost (@CFB_post) May 24, 2019

Regardless, the Tigers remain entrenched at +240 to win in the College Football Championship odds. As well, Clemson’s season win total of 11 is also unchanged following this news.

The Title Is Within Reach

Almost every team loses a player or two each season for a variety of reasons. But will these losses impact the Tigers any harder than if one or both of them had tore up a knee during the spring game?

2020 CFP Championship Odds

*Odds taken May 25, 2019

No one is saying that Galloway and Giella didn’t make contributions to Clemson’s success last season. Galloway caught five balls for 52 yards and a touchdown. He played in 12 of 13 games. Giella was on the field for 114 snaps during 11 games.

tough times don't last.

— Braden Galloway (@thebgall) May 24, 2019

On the other hand, schools like Clemson are called football factories for a reason. And Clemson didn’t seem to miss them in the title game against Alabama.

Clemson Will Continue To Win

Let’s do a Clemson roster roll call. Heisman co-favorite Trevor Lawrence still at quarterback? Check. Travis Etienne still in the backfield? Roger. Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross still at receiver? Verified.

Everyone needs to take a breath. The Tigers could average 50 points per game this season.

2020 NCAA Football Win Totals

Rob Gronkowski was far and away the greatest tight end in the game. The New England Patriots won Super Bowl 51 even though Gronk was on IRL for eight games, including the entire postseason.

Only ⁦@ClemsonFB⁩ player from the State of Texas is JC Chalk. Otherwise known as Gene Stallings’ grandson. pic.twitter.com/HX218tDFmZ

— Holly Rowe (@sportsiren) December 27, 2018

Junior J.C. Chalk slides into Galloway’s post. Chalk caught two passes for 21 yards last season and played 105 snaps. He even gives college football’s national championship rivalry a better storyline. Chalk’s grandpappy is former Alabama head coach Gene Stallings.

If you were backing the Tigers to win again this year, don’t sweat it. Clemson is going to be just fine.