By Will Vandervort.

By Will Vandervort

CLEMSON — Usually when Clemson journeys to Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C. to play Duke, the Tigers fear the dullness of the atmosphere more than the team they have to compete with on the football field.

That’s a different story this year, however. This year, ninth-ranked Clemson will not have to worry about creating its own energy and staying focused. No, the Tigers focus will be right where it should be as it plays a Duke football team that is having one of its best seasons in the last 25 years, while also having one of the more explosive offenses in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

To top it off, the Blue Devils (6-3, 3-2 ACC) are also undefeated at home, producing a 5-0 record, while averaging 42.6 points per game.

“It’s going to be a challenge, that’s for sure,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said. “This bunch (on offense) is probably as good of a group that we have gone against in a while. Both of their quarterbacks have been effective so we expect them to compete at a high level.

“They have played really well at home. They are undefeated at home. For whatever the reason, they have been a little bit different of a team there and have scored a lot of points at home.”

That makes the task for a Clemson defense that has shown much improvement in recent weeks that much harder. Sean Renfree was cleared to play for Saturday night after leaving the game last week at Florida State.

“I think the combination of the two just threw him for a big loop,” Duke head coach David Cutcliffe said during Wednesday’s ACC teleconference.

If Renfree , who has thrown for 1,885 yards and 11 touchdowns, can’t go, has to exit the game then the Blue Devils will go with Anthony Boone, who has played sparingly at times this season has Cutcliffe likes to bring him in as a change of pace quarterback and to get him experience for moments like this Saturday.

Swinney says it doesn’t matter who is quarterbacking Duke, he knows his defense will have a challenge either way in slowing down an offense that he feels is very productive.

“They throw it all over, but they like to have some balance,” he said. “They like to keep balance in their plan. That is going to be a key for us. Hopefully, we will be able to stop their run, win the matchups and somehow try to affect their quarterback.”

If the Tigers do face Renfree, who is completing 68.6 percent of passes and had thrown only seven interceptions, it’s going to be that much tougher to defend.

“Not many teams have got pressure on this guy. He has done a good job and he understands where to go with it,” Swinney said. “He doesn’t hold the ball.”

Duke likes to get the ball out to its receivers, guys like Conner Vernon, Jamison Crowder and Desmond Scott. The three have 54, 53 and 45 receptions respectively. They like to get them in space and let them create and get yards after the catch.

“We have to tackle well in space,” Swinney said. “I would say that is one of the keys that will be interesting to watch in this game because they create space plays just by the nature of what they do. We are going to have to have our best tackling effort to this point to try and minimize the yards after the catch with these guys.”

And that will start with slowly down Vernon. Already the ACC’s all-time reception leader, the senior needs only 82 yards to pass former Florida State standout Peter Warrick (3,517) as the ACC’s career leader in receiving yards as well.

“He is smart. He is a veteran player that understands a defense,” Swinney said. “He understands route running, leverage and technique. He is really good at the break point and finishes plays. He can run with it. Heck, just look what he does as a punt returner. He is a very good all-around player.

“He has a lot of good instincts and savvy to go with a ton of experience. He is not overwhelmed from week-to-week. He lines up and is very consistent all the time. He competes his tail off. He is a very good football player.”

And he is on a very good offense that will surely have Clemson’s attention when the Tigers and Blue Devils kick it off Saturday at 7 p.m.