Clemson vs. Boston College Prediction: Homecoming and ugly shouldn't go together |
Is this the biggest night game in Death Valley in a long time? You better believe it is.
While many fans on social media have written off this season, Clemson players and coaches all said this week that all of their goals are still within reach – win the state, win the division, win the conference, and win the last game of the season. However, two of the goals likely won’t happen unless the Tigers run the table in the conference. And that starts Saturday night against a 4-0 Boston College team that has momentum, an identity and is well-coached. NO. 25/19 CLEMSON (2-2, 1-1 ACC) vs. RV/RV BOSTON COLLEGE (4-0, 0-0 ACC) WHEN: SATURDAY, OCT. 2, 7:30 P.M. ET TELEVISION: ACC Network (Dave O'Brien, Tim Hasselbeck, Kelsey Riggs) CLEMSON/BOSTON COLLEGE SERIES HISTORY OVERALL: Clemson leads series, 19-9-2 NOTABLE *As the result of scheduling quirks in the pandemic-adjusted 2020 season, Clemson and Boston College will meet in Death Valley in a third consecutive year for the first time in series history. The Eagles will join Duke (1986-88), Virginia (1972-74) and Wake Forest (1957- 59 and 1983-85) as the only ACC programs ever to face Clemson in Death Valley in three consecutive seasons. *Clemson is attempting to win a 31st consecutive home game to extend its school record for both the longest home winning streak and longest home unbeaten streak in school history (as well as extend the nation’s longest active home winning streak). Of the 135 players on Clemson’s 2021 roster, 130 have never experienced a home loss in their Clemson careers. Five sixth-year “super seniors” on Clemson’s 2021 roster were on the 2016 team that recovered from a home loss to Pitt by winning the national championship that season. – *Clemson (30) is attempting to tie 1890-93 Yale, 1990-95 Texas A&M and 2001-05 Boise State (31 each) for the 18th-longest home winning streak in FBS history. *Clemson is attempting to improve to 20-9-2 all-time against Boston College, dating to the teams’ first meeting in the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day in 1940. *Clemson is attempting to win its 11th consecutive game against Boston College, dating back to 2011. Clemson’s 10-game winning streak against Boston College is its second-longest active streak against an ACC opponent, trailing Clemson’s 12-game active winning streak against Wake Forest. *Head Coach Dabo Swinney will be coaching his 178th career game to tie Virginia and Wake Forest’s Al Groh (178) for fourth-most career games coached as a member of the ACC. *Swinney is attempting to earn his 143rd career win to pass Steve Spurrier for sole possession of the sixth-most wins through the first 15 years of a coaching career in FBS history. Of note, Swinney is only in his 14th season (including an interim season in 2008). *Clemson enters the game having only surrendered four offensive touchdowns this season, tied for the second-fewest in the country. THREE THINGS WE WANT TO SEE *No rushing touchdowns. Boston College quarterback Dennis Grosel has experience but can be inaccurate and sometimes throws into double and triple coverage. I wonder if the Eagles are going to come out and simply try and run the football, especially with Clemson missing run-stoppers Bryan Bresee and Tyler Davis in the middle of the line. The Eagles will put the onus on their offensive line, run the play clock down to zero, and limit Clemson’s possessions. Look for linebackers Baylon Spector and Trenton to rack up huge tackle numbers if that’s the case. This would be a good week to keep a few current streaks in check. Clemson enters the game as one of four programs to not allow a rushing touchdown so far this season (Georgia, San Diego State and Wake Forest). Clemson is attempting to join 2013 Colorado as the only Power Five Conference teams to hold opponents without a rushing touchdown through the first five games of a season since 2000, according to data available via Sports Reference. (Note: Georgia and Wake Forest can also join this list this week). Clemson is attempting to open a season allowing no rushing touchdowns in each of the first five games for the first time since a national championship season in 1981, when Clemson allowed zero touchdowns on the ground through its first six games. Clemson is also attempting to hold a fifth consecutive opponent without a rushing touchdown for the first time since a six-game streak across the final four games of 2017 and first two games of 2018. *An average either over or close to 5 yards per rush. Clemson’s rushing offense is ranked 100th nationally, just behind South Carolina (126.75 for SCAR and 126.25 for Clemson). The Tigers are averaging 4.11 yards per rush, which is 75th nationally. Clemson was No. 1 in rushing nationally in 2019, averaging 6.37 yards per rush and over 240 yards per game. Clemson was second nationally in yards per rush in 2018, at 6.55 yards per pop. Think about it this way – the worst two seasons of the Dabo Swinney era were 2010 (3.96 yards per rush), and 2014 (3.53 yards per rush. The Tigers lost four games in 2014 and seven in 2010. The rest of the seasons have seen them average somewhere in the 4.5 range. *The week of the tight end. It seems like all I’ve heard since last Saturday is how much tight ends mean to an offense, and one NFL analyst said Thursday night that a tight end that can stretch the field is the best asset a young quarterback can have. Yet here we are, entering week five, and Clemson tight ends have combined for 10 catches for a paltry 59 yards. I asked head coach Dabo Swinney about the lack of production and if it was play calling or the fact that the tight ends have to block, and he said the offense simply needs to gain first downs and stay on the field longer than a few plays. Maybe some designed calls on first down would do the trick, keep the defense honest. (I can throw a whole bunch of stuff into this section: Move DJ Uiagalelei out of the pocket, and make him more of a running threat early in the game. Throw to the middle of the field. Harass Grosell from the opening snap. Put long drives together. Show some chemistry and toughness along the offensive line. I want Uiagalelei to show some decisiveness and act like he’s having fun. And maybe a big play on special teams and a score from the defense while we’re at it). WHAT WILL HAPPEN I’ve been told this week that Clemson can’t open the playbook or be creative because of the offensive line. I’ve been told that the tight ends aren’t in play because of the length of drives. People can hope that the offense puts it all together in one glorious night and scores 30 and all will be right with the world. But this offense isn’t close to putting it all together, and this one will be reminiscent of the game versus Georgia Tech. In other words, ugly. Let’s just hope there aren’t 40 reviews and multiple targeting calls and weather delays. This is another one that the Tigers will have to grind out and win. If it’s in Boston College, the Eagles win. It’s in Clemson, so the Tigers. In another squeaker. Homecoming and ugly shouldn't go together, but here we are. And an ugly win is better than a pretty loss. Or, like last week, an ugly loss. FINAL SCORE: CLEMSON 24, BOSTON COLLEGE 20 More TigerNet picks * Points: 3 pts for best correct prediction of the week (tiebreaker is Clemson score), 2 pts for picking score exactly, 1 pt for picking the correct winner
WHERE: MEMORIAL STADIUM (81,500), CLEMSON, S.C.
RADIO: Clemson Athletic Network (Don Munson, Tim Bourret, Reggie Merriweather)
SATELLITE RADIO: Sirius 111, XM 193, Internet 955
HOME: Clemson leads series, 9-3-1
ROAD: Clemson leads series, 9-6-1
NEUTRAL: Clemson leads series, 1-0
LAST MEETING: Oct. 31, 2020 (34-28, W)
STREAK: Clemson, Won 10
Mickey Plyler - The Roar 105.5 morning show host - 24-13 Clemson
Nikki Hood - Staff writer - 24-13 Clemson
Brandon Rink - Associate editor - 27-17 Clemson
Tony Crumpton - Associate editor - 24-9 Clemson
Zachary Wagner - Intern - 24-21 Clemson
Jake Pierce - Recruiting reporter - Clemson 24-20
Pigskin Prophet - 23-16 Clemson
Ryan Kantor - Contributing Writer - Boston College 23-21
Game
Actual
David Hood
Plyler
Nikki Hood
Rink
Crumpton
Wagner
Pierce
Prophet
Kantor
Georgia
10-3 UGA
27-20 CU
27-23 CU
24-17 CU
27-23 CU
28-24 CU
28-17 CU
31-20 CU
23-17 CU
-
SC State
49-3 CU
55-3 CU
54-0 CU
56-7 CU
61-7 CU
49-7 CU
55-10 CU
45-0 CU
45-0 CU
-
GT
14-8 CU
41-13 CU
51-10 CU
45-10 CU
45-13 CU
38-7 CU
45-7 CU
38-13 CU
48-10 CU
31-3 CU
NCST
27-21 2OT NCST
23-20 CU
27-13 CU
17-7 CU
24-17 CU
24-9 CU
24-3 CU
28-17 CU
24-16 CU
24-6 CU
Points
-
2
2
2
2
4
2
2
2
3
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