Clemson Thankful it Gets to Turn the Page Quickly

With ACC Championship on the line next week, Tigers have opportunity to make up for their loss to South Carolina

Kevin Vandervort / All Clemson

CLEMSON, S.C. — There is some good news from No. 8 Clemson’s 31-30 loss to rival South Carolina. It does not have to wait a whole month to get the sour taste of losing to its rival out of its mouth.

Unlike most teams around the country, Clemson does have a game next Saturday. The Tigers will face No. 17 North Carolina in the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte.

“It helps a lot. It really, really helps when you can come back quick and turn the page quick and get ready to focus on somebody else,” offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter said.

Clemson has advanced to the ACC Championship twice before coming off a loss to the Gamecocks. It happened in 2009 and 2011. The Tigers lost to Georgia Tech in a classic ACC title game in 2009. In 2011, they routed No. 5 Virginia Tech, 38-10.

“We are thankful we have earned the opportunity to get back to our championship,” head coach Dabo Swinney said. “Seven out of the last eight years, another opportunity to go win the league. That would be a huge and positive ending to this season to get back to being ACC Champions.”

A win over the Tar Heels (9-3) will not only give the Tigers a seventh ACC Championship in the last eight years, but it will also lock up a spot in the Orange Bowl, which is part of the College Football Playoff’s New Year’s Six Bowl Games.

In other words, Clemson (10-2) still has a lot to play for, and a way to make up for their first loss to South Carolina since 2013.

“We cannot go into next week and harp on this loss,” running back Will Shipley said. “We have huge things ahead of us. ACC Championship, and then whatever comes after that. We really just have to take a look in the mirror and get better from this.”

Every coach and player that was asked said next Saturday’s ACC Championship game is going to be a big moment for this program and where it goes from here. How will they respond to such an emotional loss to their rival?

“The other adversity you have in your life, you have to respond to it,” Streeter said. “The best way to respond is to bounce back, turn the page and you find out who your leaders are. You find out who your leaders are when it is not smooth sailing all the time.

“We won forty in a row in this stadium. Nobody else has done that. I wish it was always perfect. Dang! It sucks today, it really does. But man, we have a ton left to play for. Obviously, we are going for the title while a lot of teams are going to be sitting at home watching.

“So, we have an awesome opportunity that our players are going to respond to and bounce back quick.” 

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