CLEMSON – You want drama?

North Carolina’s game at Clemson has a lot of drama.

First, UNC had two players arrested on Tuesday that have been suspended for the game, including freshman wide receiver CJ Sadler, who caught three passes for 66 yards in last week’s win over East Tennessee State. He currently ranks fourth on the team with four receptions for 73 yards.

Sadler was listed on the Tar Heels’ two-deep chart earlier this week.

On Thursday, UNC defensive coordinator Steve Belichick, the son of head coach Bill Belichick, resigned following an internal investigation that found actions within the football program that demonstrated “a disregard for Carolina’s values and standards of conduct,” the University said.

The younger Belichick took a leave of absence from the program before the season began, as the school investigated allegations of drug use and sexual relationships within the program.

Though things are not as dramatic at Clemson, there is drama, nonetheless. Once again, the Tigers were trounced by an SEC team to open a season and then followed that up with a subpar performance against a Sunbelt Conference foe the following week. 

This time, it led to a quarterback change, as freshman Tait Reynolds is expected to make the first start of his career.

North Carolina (2-0) at Clemson (1-1)

• Kickoff: Saturday, Noon
• Location: Memorial Stadium, Clemson
• TV: ESPN
• Spread: Clemson minus-3.5
• Total: 44.5 points
• Series: Clemson leads the series 41-19-1
• Streak: Clemson has won seven straight in the series

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

This is the first ACC game of the season for both schools. For the winner, it is a good start to the conference season. For the loser, it means they are playing from behind and the chances of getting to the ACC Championship game are slim. A loss for Clemson, considering the Tigers have just eight conference games, could really hurt their chances, especially with No. 5 Miami coming to town in two weeks.

KEY MATCHUP

Clemson quarterback Tait Reynolds is making his first start. He is going against a Belichick defense that is playing well and playing with a lot of confidence and discipline. Belichick, counting his days in the NFL, is 22-8 all-time against a rookie quarterback.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Cornerback Ashton Hampton is attempting to become the first Clemson player credited by gameday stat crews with three or more passes defended (pass breakups plus interceptions) in consecutive games since 2012 (Xavier Brewer vs. NC State and South Carolina).

Carolina quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., connected with tight end Jelani Thurman for the Tar Heels’ first passing touchdown of the season in the first quarter of the ETSU game last Saturday. It was Edwards’ first passing TD in a UNC uniform and Thurman’s first receiving TD at Carolina.

THIS AND THAT

When Tait Reynolds starts at QB for Clemson vs UNC in the third game of year it will be the earliest in a season a true freshman has started at quarterback for the Tigers since 1975 when Willie Jordan started in the third game at Georgia Tech.

FINAL ANALYSIS

This is going to be an ugly game, which, at this point, both Swinney and Belichick would prefer. Is Clemson’s run defense as bad as we saw at LSU or as good as we saw against Georgia Southern, or is it somewhere in between? Regardless, the Tigers have to stop a UNC rushing attack that looked good at times against TCU and ETSU. I believe there will be at least one defensive TD in this game, and my gut tells me it is going to be North Carolina that gets it and that will be the difference.

Prediction

North Carolina 17, Clemson 14