Mack Brown On Recruiting Against Clemson: 'They've Beaten Us a Bunch'

North Carolina head coach Mack Brown details the impact a win over Clemson in the ACC Championship Game could have on recruiting in the future.

Jason Priester All Clemson

This weekend's ACC Championship Game could have far-reaching implications stretching out much further than the playing field in Bank of America Stadium.

While Clemson and North Carolina will be battling for ACC supremacy, the two programs will also be trying to send a message to future recruits.

The Tigers are attempting to tell future prospects that despite a second consecutive season in which the program will miss out on a berth in the College Football Playoff, Clemson is still the king of the conference and one of the better programs in the country.

Mack Brown and the Tar Heels will be trying to sell another message. That the gap between the Tigers and North Carolina has closed and winning the ACC for the first time since 1980 could go a long way towards driving that point home.

"They've beaten us a bunch in recruiting," Brown said. "Most of the guys on our team weren't offered by them. So there's a lot of great players on their team that I've tried to recruit that decided to go down there and they've got a great program." 

Throughout the College Football Playoff era, Clemson has routinely out-recruited its ACC counterparts. The Tigers current 2023 class is ranked tops in the league, while North Carolina is fifth, behind the Tigers, Miami, Florida State and Louisville.

"They are the standard in this league," Brown said of Clemson. "They've got outstanding facilities. Dabo has done an amazing job so I get it, but now we'll be playing against a lot of great players I wish we had got."

A win in Charlotte, a major recruiting area for both schools, would be big for either school, but even more so for the Tar Heels, and Brown is hoping the fans will show up and show out to help send that message to all future prospects.

"Playing in Charlotte is special for us, and I know it is for Dabo because Clemson is not very far from there either," Brown said. "I know those Clemson fans are gonna show up and our fans have been unbelievable the last two home games. Thanksgiving is always iffy to know how many people can come and some of the weather were question marks and we had a packed house. Our student section was full. Our crowds have been absolutely unbelievable, so I expect them to be the same way on Saturday night."

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