Clemson is in the College Football Playoffs with a win over North Carolina Saturday night.
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Clemson was able to throw a party at the end of the 1981 season, en route to an unbeaten record and a national championship.
Governor Nikki Haley and McCrory first did a friendly wager on BBQ over the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill’s game against the University of SC earlier this season.
Clemson would likely stay in the top 10 and qualify for an at-large spot in a NY6 game.
North Carolina are also on a streak, winning 11 in a row since losing the season opener to SC. But on Saturday that unit succumbed to a piping-hot Clemson offense that scored six touchdowns and put up 608 total yards. Wayne Gallman rushed for 102 yards in 19 attempts. North Carolina Tar Heels recorded 265.7 passing yards and 230.0 rushing yards while allowed 186.2 passing yards and 208.8 russhing yards with turnover differential of -0.8. Clemson scored on three straight possessions. However, their rushing defense is suspect, giving up more than 200 yards per game.
A Clemson win could keep defensive coordinator Brent Venables in the market for an open head coaching job (though to be honest, that possibility seems very remote at the moment). The sophomore’s ripped off 1,280 yards and 16 touchdowns, a almost five-fold improvement from last season. The Vegas total for this game is in the area of 67 points.
Info guide: These two teams haven’t played each other this year, as we know. Florida did not score until its 12th touch of the game – a 46-yard heave from Harris to C.J.
Granted, it would still be hard for North Carolina to make the playoffs.
Here are five takeaways from Maryland’s first game against a ranked opponent. It was Gallman’s first receiving touchdown of the season, the second of his career. Tonight marked their first neutral-site meeting since 1915 – a 9-7 Tar Heel victory in Greensboro.
Watson guided a 12-play, 96-yard drive for a 14-9 lead with 10:35 to play in the half.
On top of that, they vacated all 16 wins from two of those seasons due to NCAA sanctions for improper benefits and academic misconduct in a case launched in 2010. If they manage to do the same against Clemson, they have a shot at the massive upset.
Momentum: On a 4th and 15 from Clemson’s 20, the Clemson punter received the snap, but instead of punting took off with the ball to the left side of the field.
First a loss by Carolina and the Heels will be playing in the Russell Athletic Bowl.
There is one vision for both teams – the College Football Playoffs.
And Fedora is confident in his own quarterback, senior Marquise Williams, who threw three red-zone interceptions on September 3 in a 17-13 loss to USC in the same stadium the Tar Heels play in on Saturday.
The ending was not without drama. The Tar Heels attempted another onside kick and this time Clemson recovered and ran out the clock. I pick Clemson by a field goal.
– Led at the half for 12th time in 13 games but for the first time in its three ACC title games.
That was a Gamecocks team that would end its season on a poor year, including a mid-season exit of longtime head coach Steve Spurrier.
Larry Fedora watches from the sideslines. UNC announced before the game that Fedora’s contract was extended seven years. They led 38-10 at half in a 66-31 win against Duke, 31-0 at half in a 59-21 win against Miami the following week. And they’ve been that way for how many weeks? Carolina is now 2-18-1 all-time versus a ranked Clemson team.
Both teams can make the playoffs. Deshaun Watson hit Scott for four yards to the UNC 41.
Watson for Heisman: Watson certainly secured an invitation to Heisman Trophy ceremonies next week with a record-setting performance.
DABO’S 100TH GAME: Swinney is leading his 100th game.
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On the North Carolina side, the constant fight against NCAA infractions, investigations that have hung over the program for years and Fedora working to clean things up.
