Clemson vs North Carolina: 5 Things to Watch For In ACC Championship Game

Five storylines to follow when Clemson and North Carolina square off in Charlotte for the ACC Championship.

Jason Priester All Clemson

Two weeks ago, the ACC Championship Game was looking like it might have major College Football Playoff implications. 

However, both Clemson (10-2) and North Carolina (9-3) limp into Charlotte, with the Tar Heels having dropped two straight and the Tigers coming off a devastating loss to the rival Gamecocks.

Dabo Swinney's Clemson team comes in looking for a seventh conference championship in the past eight seasons, while the Tar Heels are looking to win the ACC for the first time since 1980.

5 Things to Watch

1. Where Is This Clemson Team Mentally: It's not that the Tigers lost to South Carolina, it's how they lost. This was a team that just could not get out of its own way. We saw ineffective quarterback play, crucial drops, missed tackles, busts on the backend, along with receivers running into one another. Not to mention losing the turnover margin for a fifth straight week.

So how does this team respond? A spot in the playoff is no longer at stake, but a spot in the Orange Bowl likely is. Can Swinney find the right buttons to push to get his team back on track mentally? 

2. Containing Drake Maye: This is the most explosive offense Clemson has faced this season. North Carolina comes in with the eighth-best passing attack in the country, as quarterback Drake Maye averages 321 passing yards per game. He also leads the team in rushing yards. 

Georgia Tech and NC State both had some success containing the dynamic quarterback. If Clemson is to have any shot at winning this game, the front four will have to play more disciplined than it did in the loss to South Carolina. Pressuring Maye, while at the same time keeping him contained inside the pocket will be crucial.

It's also worth noting that the Tigers will be without a key piece of its secondary to start the game, as R.J. Mickens will sit out the first half due to a targeting ejection last week. Jalyn Phillips is also banged up, but is expected to play.

3. How Long is DJ Uiagalelei's Leash: Swinney made it clear that Uiagalelei is still the starting quarterback, but he has to be better than he was last week. Period. Throwing for less than 100 yards just isn't going to cut it. Neither will completing less than 30% of your passing attempts. 

This offense is going to have to find some way to jump start a struggling passing game, and they will have to do so without Beaux Collins, who will miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury. A good place to start would be reeling in the catchable balls, as critical drops were once again a factor in the loss to South Carolina.

Getting the passing game going could ential getting Davis Allen and Jake Briningstool more involved. Maybe that entails using the running backs more. Maybe that even entails going to the freshman Cade Klunik, if Uiagalelei continues to struggle. Regrdless, the Tigers can not have a similar performance to last week.

4. Ball Security Still An Issue: Losing the turnover battle is becoming the norm. It has happened in five consecutive games. And it's not just one player, it's spread out. This comes after the Tigers excelled in ball security over the first half of the season.

Spencer Rattler made Clemson pay for some of that sloppiness, and this North Carolina offense is far more explosive. Give this Tar Heels team free possessions and they will very likely make you pay dearly.

5. Run the Football: Last week was just the second time ever Clemson has lost under Swinney when it rushes for over 200 yards. Will Shipley averaged close to nine yards per carry against the Gamecocks, and this North Carolina defense has been prone to giving up yards on the ground, allowing 170 yards per game.

Establishing the run early and then sticking with it might be the best recipe for the Tigers. Shipley had just two fourth quarter carries against the Gamecocks, in a game in which Clemson would lose by one point. Shipley has been one of the Tigers' most productive players on the offensive side of the ball, and needs to be involved as much as possible.

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