By Will Vandervort
CLEMSON — Though Clemson may not be able to play for an Atlantic Coast Conference championship this year, it can still claim a share of the ACC’s Atlantic Division Title with a win over NC State this coming Saturday in Death Valley.
The Tigers, who moved up two spots to No. 11 in the latest BCS standings, currently sit tied with Florida State atop the ACC standings with identical 6-1 records in conference play. By virtue of the Seminoles’ win over Clemson on Sept. 22, FSU, if it beats Maryland this Saturday, would represent the Atlantic Division in the ACC Championship Game on Dec. 1.
“If we win this week, that’s three out of four years we will be able to claim being the Atlantic Division champion,” Clemson head coach Swinney said Sunday during his teleconference with the media. “Heck, I didn’t even know that until today to be honest with you.
“If we win this game, even if Florida State wins, we get a trophy. By the tie-breaker we don’t get to go play in the game, but that is a big accomplishment for our guys. So hopefully we can find a way to win.”
Clemson (9-1) also has a chance to do something that has not been done since Perry Tuttle landed on the front page of Sports Illustrated – win 10 games during the regular season. Clemson’s National Championship Year of 1981 was the last time a Clemson team won at least 10 regular season games.
The Tigers can actually tie the 1981 team’s record for wins in a season should they beat NC State on Saturday, South Carolina on Nov. 24 and win the bowl game. The 1981 team of course went 12-0 and won the National Championship by beating Nebraska in the Orange Bowl that season.
“It is a great opportunity for us,” Swinney said. “We have a lot on the line here. We haven’t won ten regular season games here in 31 years. We have a chance to do that.”
The Tigers also have a chance to keep their BCS at-large possibilities alive with a win over NC State as well. Right now, TheClemsonInsider.com is projecting a possible Sugar Bowl matchup with defending national champion Alabama should they beat the Wolfpack and South Carolina to close out the regular season.
ESPN.com’s Brad Edwards, its BCS expert, has also projected the same matchup.
But all that side, Swinney says the focus this week is on one thing – beating NC State. Last year, Clemson went into Raleigh, N.C. a little too over confident after clinching the Atlantic Division title and got hammered by the Wolfpack.
“They embarrassed us on national TV,” Swinney said. “Again, NC State is capable of beating anybody. That is the only loss that Florida State has.
“This is a team that is very dangerous. They have an outstanding quarterback and they always have good skill. They are second in the league in scoring defense. They blitz about every snap. This is a big challenge for us. We will have to play very well. Again, we are coming off a performance against these guys last year that was really poor.”
NC State beat the Tigers, who were ranked No. 7 at the time, 37-13 a year ago. On three straight possessions in the second quarter last year, the Wolfpack started no worse than the Clemson 18. They scored touchdowns on all three opportunities, two of which were set up by Clemson fumbles.
“You always look at last year’s tape when you are playing an opponent that you play every year, especially when the coaching staff is the same,” Swinney said. “You always study that film because it is real tape of you versus them so you can see some matchup things and see some schematic things and you can compare that to what you have seen all throughout this year.
“But we went up there last year and I think we turned it over three times in a row inside the twenty something yard line and NC State did a great job of taking advantage of it. And with momentum and energy they just took the game over and we couldn’t turn it.
“But that was last year and it has nothing to do with this year. It really doesn’t. That revenge stuff doesn’t get you very far. It is about how you prepare and how you execute.”