Clemson Hit The 'Playoff Mode' Switch Following Loss in South Bend

Clemson knows what is at stake this weekend against Notre Dame in the ACC title game and are preparing for a better result in the top five rematch.

Clemson is in somewhat unfamiliar territory heading into this year's ACC title game against No. 2 Notre Dame. With one mark already in the loss column, it is well understood the No. 3 Tigers must win Saturday to secure a spot in the college football playoff. 

A win likely sends the Tigers back out west for the Rose Bowl while a loss to the Irish Saturday would likely have Dabo Swinney and company traveling down to Florida again for the Orange Bowl. 

That reality isn't lost on the Tigers and they have acknowledged since that Nov. 7 setback to the Fighting Irish. Make no mistake, the R.O.Y. bus will head up I-85 north this weekend and you can bet it'll be packed with the orange britches. 

If those signs weren't enough of an indication, it's time for Championship Phase in Clemson. 

"That's the attitude we've had since we lost to Notre Dame in the first place. From that game on when we did lose, we knew we had to win out and that is just the fact of the matter," Clemson offensive lineman Matt Bockhorst said. "I think that is one of the things people love so much about college football is that there is very little room for error. We have to win to get where we want to be." 

Bockhorst said the Tigers have not only the talent but the capability to get where they want to, but now it just comes down to execution. When it comes to execution and learning from the mistakes made in the first meeting during the regular season, it's quite clear the areas that must be cleaned up for the top-five rematch and blockbuster ACC title showdown. 

While D.J. Uiagalelei threw for over 400 yards in his first career road start, the Tiger offense only mustered 34 yards rushing on the ground as the Irish sold out on now letting Travis Etienne beat them on the ground. Simply put, while there were some things to flush in that Nov. 7 tilt, it wasn't all bad. 

"There were some good things. It wasn't all bad. I know it might sound cliché, but a lot of it comes down to very little things like how big your splits are and hand placement," Bockhorst said. "There are a lot of little things that can be corrected that we're hoping will translate into a better running game." 

The Clemson offensive lineman mentioned Daelin Hayes and Adetokunbo Ogundeji as two standouts that caused havoc for the offensive line. Overall, he reiterated how talented and physical the Irish are in the trenches and well they are at outworking the competition. 

"They've got some stout dudes that are high effort guys that will be where they're supposed to be and play with a high motor," he said. 

If you needed any proof of just how physical Saturday should be, take a look back at round one which saw several players, including Bockhorst, be sidelined due to an injury in the November slugfest. 

With a trophy and playoff spot on the line, you can guarantee the pads will be popping in Bank of America Stadium Saturday afternoon. 

"It's a challenging and physical group to play against and a game like this should be physical. Everybody knows we didn't run the ball as well as we wanted to last time and we want to improve upon that this time around. It's definitely not going to be easy but we're up for the challenge."