For all the criticism Dabo Swinney and Clemson have taken, and a lot of it is deserved, they sit 4-2 (2-1) midway through the season. They have a real path to the ACC Title Game.
When Clemson has played high end competition they’ve looked bad. When they played LSU and Miami, they were outscored 92-23. Clemson does not have the athletes to compete at that level. It is what it is. The thing is, Clemson doesn’t play anyone like them the rest of the year.
The 28-20 win over UNC continues to look better and better. The Heels are a much improved team with their own ACC Title Game aspirations. There is win at California. Sure, the Bears aren’t great, but a decent Virginia Tech team couldn’t leave Cal with a victory.
When you look at the rest of the schedule, there is a decent but still a year-away Virginia Tech team, then a road game at erratic at best Florida State, two of the worst ACC teams, Syracuse then Georgia Tech, and a game at Duke. The Blue Devils aren’t bad, but they couldn’t beat Georgia Tech, so they are hardly a team that strikes fear in anyone.
Clemson hasn’t allowed more than 20 points in a game to an opponent not named Miami or LSU. That’s just a hair over 9 points a game when you take out the 2 teams, that no other opponent on Clemson’s remaining schedule comes close to that.
Now don’t get me wrong, Clemson is a very flawed team, but here’s the thing. You start playing with confidence, you string a few wins, and suddenly you are a different team than before, making just enough plays to be a real problem for opponents.
I like the freshman QB Tait Reynolds too. He’s clearly learning on the job, but he’s a gamer and getting better. The defense is good enough to stay with the opponents remaining on the schedule, and if the offense can develop more of a downfield passing threat, a Clemson team forgotten about could very well find itself in the thick of the ACC Title.
Next week’s game against Virginia Tech at Clemson is a big one.
