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A week ago, we published a column reminding subscribers that this year seems defined by warts borne by even the best teams.

Clemson and Alabama were so freaking good in 2015. They were so freaking good again in 2016.

And as fans of the Tigers proceed through 2017 with a new cast of offensive characters, the tendency is to zero in on the flaws and fear how they might be exposed by the juggernaut from Tuscaloosa.

Except that, well, this is not the Alabama of the last two years. Clemson lost a bunch this past offseason, but so did Alabama. The Tigers are battered by injuries, but so are the Crimson Tide.

There was probably no small amount of hysteria inside Death Valley when Florida State cut the score to 17-14 on Saturday evening. Teetering on the edge of a disastrous loss surely made plenty of fans question whether this team belongs in the elite class of college football in 2017.