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Let’s pose an interesting question after last night’s “lucky” victory for 3 Clemson over NC State, 26 – 14. Can the Tigers run the table this year and truly be a legitimate candidate for the National Championship? Well, first of all, they were definitely flat last evening and benefited from some awful calls against the Wolfpack. Interception run back for a TD called back on a penalty. The NC running back Underwood did NOT step out of bounds on that beautiful 83 yard TD run. So, the Tigers were lucky (good teams usually are) and they answered the call when it counted. Still, people are skeptical, based on what is now a term in the sports dictionary known as “Clemsoning”, ie., underachieving when the talent is there and one is expected to succeed in achieving the pinnacle. To be fair, Clemson has been ranked in the top ten very consistently, but they have this nasty habit of losing to someone, not always an equal competitor, just when you think you can declare them as having “arrived”. If they are going to get it done, this is the year to do it. They have a favorable schedule, FSU, Georgia Tech, and South Carolina all at home in Death Valley. (I am going to go on record and say I do not think they will win all three of those games, I believe they lose one at least). Also, at Maryland is a trap game, coming off the big home game in October against FSU, who may also be the best team in the ACC. As a GT fan, I say let’s wait and see, I believe GT may get them as well (that game is in November, and Clemson will have an off week to prepare for the triple option). Georgia Tech and Paul Johnson’s offense has given Dabo fits and they are historically very close games. Clemson is currently enjoying their highest ranking at #3 in twenty five years. They are enormously talented, perhaps some weaknesses on defense in the secondary but still, they are legit! The win over UGA proved that. Tajh Boyd, Sammy Watkins will both be gone after this year. There is also talk that their brilliant offensive coordinator, Chad Morris, is likely to be offered a head coaching job after this season. So, the time is now for Clemson to prove that “Clemsoning” is not going to happen this year. They dodged a bullet last night when they were not playing their best football. But that is what great teams do. So, as always, we play each game one at a time, because there is indisputable truth to that old adage, on any given day, anyone can beat you!
Meanwhile in the NFL, the Kansas City Chiefs are perhaps a much better team than originally believed as they took care of the new look Eagles under coach Chip Kelly in Philadelphia, 26 – 16. Michael Vick found himself sacked six times.
And in tennis news, 3 Andy Murray will undergo minor surgery to repair a long standing issue with his back and be out for the rest of the season. Best wishes to him for a speedy recovery. Also, that means Roger Federer has an even better shot of securing a place in the group to reach the ATP year end finals in London in November. I cannot help it, I love Federer!
