By Ed McGranahan.

What we learned Saturday night was that this Clemson team can handle adversity.

After Georgia and Florida State it was reasonable to wonder.

That was before the wakeup call after the lackadaisical second half with North Carolina, and the impressive shutout of N.C. State.

How much more adversity?  Enough that it probably made sleep fitful Saturday night for Dabo Swinney and Chad Morris after beating a 5-1 Louisville team that brought in the most efficient defense in the country.

In the rearview mirror the victory over Louisville had the precise value as Clemson’s first three, but the journey from here should be more challenging.

Under the best circumstances, it may be November before we see Deshaun Watson again, perhaps by the Georgia Tech game in Atlanta. Clemson may be forced to shift gears a second time this season, maybe go back to square one.

Watson was just beginning to make the wags around the country notice. Already smitten, ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit suggested Watson could become the face of college football the next two or three seasons.

“Don’t sign anything,” he said, alluding to the mess at Georgia involving running back Todd Gurley, which trumps only the ongoing drama at Florida State where quarterback Jameis Winston faces another investigation of the alleged sexual assault incident that’s now nearly two years old.

Sad as it was, Clemson’s personnel issue pales with those.

Cole Stoudt actually played heroically under the circumstances. He had not taken a snap in practice all week after sustaining a bruised shoulder in the N.C. State game, and he certainly looked rusty in the first half.

Swinney and Morris didn’t help him much by not adjusting until the second half, particularly with a very thin offensive line. Then when Swinney decided to go for it on fourth down at the Clemson 41, it was like gift wrapping momentum. It reminded me of the scene in Blazing Saddles where Cleavon Little delivered the bomb to Mongo.

Though Louisville stoned the run early, the line found a second wind in the fourth quarter and maybe its primary running back. Adam Choice was suddenly as strong as day old coffee, rushing for 61 yards on 16 carries and nearly scoring a touchdown on the final drive.

In the end, as it was in the beginning and the middle, defense won the game.

“I told the Louisville players this was going to be one of those old school games,” said tackle DeShawn Williams who knocked down Will Gardner’s pass in the end zone with 21 seconds to play.

“We’re built for stuff like that – war ready,” Williams said. “We led the team the whole game. Why not finish it?”

Indeed.

Clemson failed to score an offensive touchdown so Adam Humphries delivered with a 72-yard punt return, nose tackle Grady Jarrett recovered a fumble in the end zone and Ammon Lakip kicked three field goals.

“It seemed like the air went out of us when we lost Deshaun,” said Coach Dabo Swinney, “but Cole went in and picked us up.”

Clemson’s 229 total yards were the fewest since a 31-7 win over Maryland in 2010. There were nine three-and-out possessions and 2 of 16 on third down opportunities. The longest plays from scrimmage were a 23-yard pass to Mike Williams and a 20-yarder to Jordan Leggett. Everything else was 15 yards or less.

Louisville’s numbers were as feeble with 264 yards, 1 of 17 on third down and five penalties for false start.

So, Coach Petrino, how was the noise in Death Valley?

“At UGA we didn’t play that full game,” Grady Jarrett said, proud of what his team accomplished. “At Florida State we didn’t play as long as it took to win the game.

“We did it tonight.”

Based on what we now know, defense may be called on again and again and again.