Preview and Prediction: Charlotte 49ers

The No.1 ranked Clemson Tigers return to the friendly confines of Death Valley after traveling to Syracuse last week, as they take on the Charlotte 49ers in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

The No.1 ranked Clemson Tigers return to the friendly confines of Death Valley after traveling to Syracuse last week, as they take on the Charlotte 49ers in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

In the midst of the 150th season of college football, Saturday's contest will be Clemson's 150th game under the leadership of Head Coach Dabo Swinney. Swinney's 149 career games as head coach are the second-most in school history, trailing the 295 games coached by College Football Hall of Famer Frank Howard across the 1940-69 seasons.

With a 119-30 career record, Swinney enters the contest with a career winning percentage of .799, the 17th-best winning percentage of any coach in major college football history with at least 10 years of experience. Swinney passed Bob Stoops (.798) with Clemson's victory at Syracuse last week. With a win this week, Swinney can improve his career winning percentage to .800 and become the 17th coach (minimum 10 seasons in major college football) to reach that career mark all-time.

Who to watch when Clemson has the ball:

Travis Etienne (RB): Etienne posted his first career 100-yard rushing performance in Clemson's third game of the season in 2018, rushing for 162 yards in a victory against Georgia Southern. It was his first of eight 100-yard rushing games that season, one shy of Wayne Gallman's single-season school record of nine from 2015.

With nine career 100-yard rushing performances, Etienne needs three more 100-yard rushing games to enter the Top 5 in school history in the category. He currently sits eight games shy of Gallman's school career record of 17 from 2014-16.

Amari Rodgers (WR): Rodgers' season appeared to be in jeopardy in the spring, when he suffered a torn ACL during spring practice. But Rodgers attacked his rehab with his trademark work ethic, returning to action 166 days later in Clemson's Week 2 game against Texas A&M, receiving a thunderous roar from Death Valley following his first reception.A week later,

 Rodgers re-announced his presence nationally, catching four passes for 121 yards with two receiving touchdowns in a 41-6 prime-time win at Syracuse. His performance included touchdown receptions of 16 and 87 yards, the latter of which tied for the fourth-longest pass play in program history.

Alex Highsmith (DE; 49ers): Alex Highsmith broke the 49ers school-record (held by eventual NFL Draft pick Larry Ogunjobi) with 17.5 Tackles for Loss in 2018. Highsmith was named C-USA Defenisve Player of the Week after he posted 7 tackles, 4 TFL and 1.5 sacks with a forced fumble at Tennessee. He was named to the National Team of the Week after his 4.5 TFLs in the season-ending win at defending C-USA Champion Florida Atlantic.

Highsmith, a Bednarik Watch Lister and preseason all-C-USA choice, ranks second in the nation with 1.3 sacks per game this season. He matched the 49ers single-game record with 2.0 sacks in each of the first two games. With 4.0 sacks, Highsmith is within 1.0 sacks of the single-season school record (5.0, Larry Ogunjobi, 2014).

Who to watch when Charlotte has the ball:

Tyler Davis (DT): Davis became the first true freshman defensive tackle to start a season opener for Clemson since Jeff Mills in 1974.

He posted five tackles including a half-sack in the opener versus Georgia Tech, sharing team defensive player of the week honors, contributed two tackles versus No. 12 Texas A&M and posted three tackles including the first full sack of his career at Syracuse.

Jamie Skalski (LB): Skalski entered the 2019 season with 61 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in 220 snaps over 30 games (two starts) in his career.

After taking advantage of the new redshirt rules last season, Skalski has been a force to be reckoned with in 2019.

Recorded eight tackles (0.5 for loss), a half-sack and a pass broken up versus. Georgia Tech, added three tackles and a fumble recovery against No. 12 Texas A&M and posted seven tackles including a career-high 1.5 sacks at Syracuse.

Benny LeMay (RB; Charlotte): LeMay, a Doak Walker candidate and preseason all-C-USA selection, has rushed for 100+ yards in all three games and scored five touchdowns. With five TDs, LeMay moved past Hasaan Klugh for 3rd all-time with 20 in his career. He has rushed for over 100 yards in five straight games, dating back to last year, and has 10 such games in his career—joining only Kalif Phillips (15) in double figures.

Preview: 

Clemson enters this week having won each of its last 32 Saturday games. Clemson went 12-2 during the 2017 campaign, with its only losses coming on a Friday at Syracuse and a Monday on New Year's Day in the Sugar Bowl.

Clemson's 32-game Saturday winning streak is the longest active streak in the FBS. In total, Clemson has won 53 of its last 54 Saturday games. The Tigers' current 32-game streak started following a 2016 loss to Pitt that was preceded by a 21-game Saturday winning streak across the 2014-16 seasons, previously the longest such streak in program history.

The Tigers are currently 41-point favorites over the 49ers, so there is little reason to believe that their streak of wins on Saturdays will move to 33 games this weekend.

Prediction: 

Zach Lentz:        Clemson—62       Charlotte—10

Susan Lloyd:      Clemson—63       Charlotte:3

Jeremy Styron: Clemson—49       Charlotte:7

Disney at Halftime:

Production of a Walt Disney Pictures movie titled “Safety” is scheduled to occur on the Clemson University main campus from Sept. 14 to 23, including at halftime of the football team’s game against Charlotte on Sept. 21. Disney has begun production of a film inspired by the story of former Clemson student-athlete Ray Ray McElrathbey, who adopted his younger brother, Fahmarr, while a member of the football program in 2006.

On Sept. 21, fans are encouraged to keep the stadium filled at halftime, as the production runs a few plays for scenes that will appear in the movie. Filming will commence as soon as halftime begins.

The film, which is directed by Oscar® nominee Reginald Hudlin, written by Randy McKinnon and Nick Santora and produced by Mark Ciardi, will stream exclusively on Disney+.