CLEMSON — Everything was set up nicely for Clemson when it visited South Bend, Ind., last year.

The Tigers were 8-0 and ranked No. 5 in the polls. They were favored to knock off Notre Dame and make their final push for another College Football Playoff appearance.

Then something happened they were not expecting. They got punched in the mouth. They got punched in the mouth hard.

The Irish, who will visit Memorial Stadium this Saturday, used a blocked punt which was returned for a touchdown, an interception that set up another score, and then a pick-six to beat Clemson 35-14.

They also ran for 263 yards, as they physically wore down the Clemson defense, while handing head coach Dabo Swinney one of his worst defeats as the Tigers’ head coach.

“They physically dominated us,” Clemson linebacker Barrett Carter said. “We have to watch that tape and figure out what we did wrong and make sure we do not make those same mistakes this Saturday.

“We know they are really a complete team across the board. We will have to bring our A-game.”

The Tigers (4-4) better bring their A-game, or it could be a long afternoon in Death Valley.

The Irish come into Saturday’s noon kick off, ranked No. 12 in the country and with a 6-2 record. Their losses have come to No. 3 Ohio State at home and No. 15 Louisville on the road. They are coming off a 58-7 home win over Pittsburgh.

“When you play a physical downhill team such as Notre Dame, you have to bring your big boy pads,” Carter said.

Clemson left its big boy pads at home in last year’s game.

“Honestly, we did not show up like we should have. I wouldn’t say it was so much what they did, we just did not play like we should have,” Carter said.

The surprising thing was Clemson came to South Bend to play a football game, while the Irish came to fight.

“I really don’t know what resonated that night. We knew it was going to be a physical game and we prepared for it all week,” Carter said. “We just did not show up and play like we should have in that game.”

No they did not.

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