Back on November 4, Clemson sat 4-4 (2-4). Just about every pre-season goal Clemson had set for themselves was gone. They were left playing for pride, and questions about the direction of the program and Dabo Swinney mounted.
Then Clemson started winning and winning and winning some more. It started with top 15 Notre Dame, then a Georgia Tech that was playing well, then another top 20 team in North Carolina.
The Tigers are again ranked, and while the dynasty is long gone, there is optimism growing that maybe the Tigers aren’t quite all that far from playoff-caliber, especially with the expansion of the playoffs to 12 teams soon. The defense is playing lights out and the offensive line is run blocking as well as it has all year. If just a couple of playmakers emerge on offense – Clemson might be very good again. That’s the prevailing thought – unless Clemson loses Saturday night to South Carolina.
If Dabo Swinney wants to undo all the optimism and goodwill built during the last 3 weeks, all it will take is getting beat by South Carolina. The Gamecocks are simply put not a good football team. This is a 5-6 team, whose best win is 3 point victory over a Kentucky team that’s 6-5. South Carolina is medicore on both sides of the ball ranking nationally 70th in offense, and 99th on defense.
Dynasty-era Clemson teams would trounce this South Carolina team, but this is not a dynasty-era Clemson team. This Clemson program is trying to re-establish itself among the better programs in college football. Dabo Swinney is trying to prove he’s still among the best coaches in college football.
Every question about Clemson’s direction as a program will again start in earnest if the Tigers get beat, and it can happen. For all the issues at South Carolina this year, they don’t have one at QB. Spencer Rattler had thrown for over 3000 yards and completed better than 70% of his passes. If he had a better-surrounding cast, he’s probably be in the Heisman discussion.
That said we’ve talked in recent days about “meeting the moment” as my podcast partner @ASD_Hokiemsash says.
Louisville did it when they defeated Miami on the road to clinch a berth in the ACC Title game. Georgia Tech did it when they beat Syracuse to get bowl-eligible for the first time since 2018. Clemson can prove they are still the dominant program in the state of South Carolina and a top 20 team that is not as far away from elite status as people thought a month ago.
Can Clemson meet the moment or will the questions start again?
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