Can Clemson really go undefeated or is this just another tease?
By: will-vandervort October 7, 2015

After passing last week’s big test with a big win over Notre Dame, can Clemson go undefeated?

We have been here before. In 2013, the Tigers opened the season with a big-time win over No. 5 Georgia and seemed destined for a run at the national championship. But, after peaking at No. 3 in the polls with six straight wins to open the season, Florida State and Jameis Winton demolished that dream, literally.

In 2011, Clemson opened the year with eight straight wins, which included wins over defending national champion Auburn, No. 11 Florida State and No. 11 Virginia Tech. It was the first time in the history of the ACC that a conference member defeated three straight ranked opponents. But eventually, those Tigers were grounded, too, when a visit to Georgia Tech truly stung. Clemson peaked at No. 6 in the polls that season.

In 2000, Woody Dantzler led the Tigers to eight consecutive victories to open the year, but again the Yellow Jackets found a way to put a sting on the season with a stunning come-from-behind win in Death Valley.

So we have all been here before. Clemson has teased us by dangling that carrot out in front of us, only to quickly pull the carrot away just when we (the media and the fans) think we are about to get a taste of something special.

Should we get our hopes up? Or does history tell us to take the wait-and-see approach?

Personally, I think this team has a great shot at running the table. Why?

First off, they expect to. Since last spring, when quarterback Deshaun Watson—a guy who is usually quite reserved—said the plan was to win the national championship, Clemson players have spoken with great confidence they are talented enough to win every game on the schedule.

That state of confidence was even higher in fall camp, despite the loss of a couple of players for disciplinary reasons and injuries. Even with the fact they had to replace nine starters on defense, and the offense had basically a brand new offense line, the players were still confident they could beat anyone they played.

If you don’t believe me, check his out. Offensive guard Eric Mac Lain was wearing this shirt in Tuesday’s interview with the media.

Running back Wayne Gallman, who is averaging 105.2 yards per game, also got into the act on Tuesday.

Granted the Tigers have not looked like “World Beaters” in the first four weeks. There are obvious depth issues on defense and the offense has not shown that ability to put teams away when it has had the opportunity to do so.

But here they are with a quarter of the regular season completed and they are still undefeated. They have not looked good at doing it. A special teams mistake nearly cost them at Louisville and then last week against Notre Dame the defense imploded in the fourth quarter, allowing 19 points and 225 yards in the final 15 minutes.

However, here is the difference in this team compared to those others I mentioned above. This team is a really young football team that is still growing. It is still maturing as the season goes along. It has already faced some adversity and it has found ways to win.

The offense is maturing before our eyes and the plays it isn’t making now, it will be making in the weeks to come. The defense has already shown signs of being special, but once the offense begins to put up the numbers that I think it will, it will allow the defense to play more of its younger players, which in turn will help build more depth for a late-season run.

Then there is the head coach. Dabo Swinney has said since the spring he really likes this football team. He likes them even more now. He says this football team is far from being complete, and he is right. But if you sit and watch his body language, see how loose he is with the media, and listen to what he says and how he says it, you can see the confidence Swinney has in his football team.

I know I’m getting too far ahead of myself. There is a lot of football to be played. No one is going to crown anyone a champion in October. There are some potential bumps in the road, like this Saturday’s game against Georgia Tech, possibly trips to Miami and NC State in the following three weeks and of course that Nov. 7 matchup against No. 12 Florida State.

Let’s not kid ourselves either. Clemson will be favored to win every game left on the schedule. With an offense that is on the verge of breaking out. With a defense that I feel still has a chance to be one of the best, if not the best, in the country. With a head coach that is as confident in his team as anyone else out there, we might finally be able to grab that carrot the Tigers have been dangling in our faces since the last time they went undefeated 34 years ago.

And we all know how special that team was.