These are clashes of culture, Boston College and Clemson – lobster and Sam Adams versus barbecue and whatever’s in the cooler.

There’s an old school feel to the game they play in New England, making you think of high tops and those leather helmets with no facemasks that they give to the MVP of this game each season.

Those 100-inch deep snow storms make New Englanders angry, so when the next football season comes around there’s a cauldron of anger that’s been bubbling for months. Even in a blowout Boston College leaves bruises.

Steve Addazio’s teams and those of the coaches who preceded him at BC have always played Clemson tough during the Eagles’ tenure in the ACC, and Saturday night wasn’t any different.

Though Clemson won by 17 points, and it really wasn’t that close, at the end of a long overdue perfect night Dabo Swinney exhaled, looked to the sky and said a quick prayer of thanks.

“BC is a tough, well-coached physical football team,” Swinney said. “I liked our guys’ mentality all night.

“We just missed some plays in the first half,” he said. “We settled down and we came back and we just lit it up in the second half.”

If there are lingering questions about Clemson’s ability to throw and catch, let’s see the hands.

How about those who questioned whether Tony Elliott and Jeff Scott together were capable of filling Chad Morris’ shoes, any more questions?

Coming out with the intention of taking this team down by halftime, Clemson needed another quarter but the results were precisely what Elliott and Scott intended. A team that led the nation in total defense, rush defense and pass defense was smacked around for 532 yards – 420 and three touchdowns by Deshaun Watson.

BC’s first six opponents averaged 140 yards a game. The three previous opponents totaled 523 yards – combined.

“It was good to see us stay with the plan and just make those plays,” Swinney said, “Hats off to our offensive staff and our offense just for getting it done.”

Swinney preaches winning isn’t easy, and Michigan State, LSU and Ole Miss say “amen.” Yet midway through this season Clemson has not lost despite close calls with Louisville and Notre Dame.

The next three games are road trips, at Miami first. Come Monday that will be the team’s focus. The polls and the College Football Playoffs are the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow so they won’t waste any anxiety on where they’re ranked.

“We’ve got excellent leadership on this team,” Swinney said. “We’ve got guys that get it

“We enjoy the win and when we come in Monday we look straight ahead.”

Deshaun Watson isn’t perfect but he’s pretty darned good, and the young skill players like Deon Cain and Hunter Renfrow are just beginning to find themselves. Wayne Gallman didn’t run for a buck for the fourth straight game, but Zac Brooks made his presence known.

Defensively this group may be better than last season’s, which finished No. 1. Boston College, the No. 1 defense in the nation coming into the game, saw the standard up close.

Greg Huegel continues to hit field goals without flinching and somebody soon is going to break a long kickoff return.

This is a complete team with a perfect record, not a perfect team.

Watson has thrown too many interceptions that were his fault — not all of them are — and Clemson has committed more turnovers than the other team for two straight games and won. Swinney agreed they’re walking on a highwire like Nik Wallenda if that continues.

But Wallenda has nerves of steel and supreme confidence or he wouldn’t take the first step.

“Our guys realize and believe wholeheartedly that we’re the best team,” Swinney said. “We’re not cocky or anything like that. We know anybody can beat us, too.

“We just don’t want to lose a game to get serious.”