There are just three weeks until the ACC Championship Game. It’s almost a forgone conclusion that Clemson football will play the red-hot UNC Tar Heels.
We are just two games away from turning our attention to the ACC Championship Game. At this point, it is almost a forgone conclusion that the Clemson football team will be playing the UNC Tar Heels in Charlotte barring the Tar Heels lose their last two games at Virginia Tech and at NC State.
As good as they are playing right now, I don’t see them losing either week, which would put the Heels at 11-1 on the season. This team certainly has some weaknesses, but they are extremely good on the offensive side of the ball and much improved on the defensive side of the ball.
That brings us to the legitimate question: How will Clemson football match-up against UNC?
A lot of Tiger fans are fearing this match-up because of how Clemson’s defense played last week against Syracuse. I tend to agree that if the defense was to play like that against UNC, the Heels could hang 50 on the Tigers. However, I see a few weaknesses I’d like to point out to those stressing about the ACC Championship Game in just a few weeks.
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The first thing I’d like to point out is that North Carolina has not faced an offense nearly as explosive as Clemson’s this season. Even so, they gave up 31 to Georgia Tech, 26 to Pittsburgh, and 21 to Miami. Even though they have blown out their last two opponents (Duke and Miami), the defense still hasn’t been anything special.
Why?
Their run-defense is not good. North Carolina’s defense is much improved from last year, but they are not good at stopping the run. That spells disaster for that side of the ball should they face Clemson football. The Tigers offense is predicated on running the ball and they have one of the best rushing attacks in the nation with quarterback Deshaun Watson and running back Wayne Gallman.
Here is what you don’t want:
What you don’t want is to play North Carolina’s game. The Tar Heels will hope for a shoot out. They will give up points so they can score points and that’s exactly what you don’t want to do. I’m not saying that Clemson couldn’t win a shoot out, but it’s not how you want to go about planning for this game.
The path to victory against North Carolina lies within the beginning of the season. You remember when the Tigers tried to establish the run against Louisville and kept pounding the Cardinals? That’s the key to victory against North Carolina. Keep their offense off the field and wear down their defense. If the Tigers can do that, it will keep UNC from getting into a rhythm and gaining any type of momentum.
Another thing to keep in mind:
Clemson’s defense is much better than UNC’s. I think everyone is panicking because the Tigers have given up some big plays the past few weeks and haven’t looked dominant. Don’t forget that this defense is certainly capable of stopping some of the best offenses in the nation.
That being said, there are some holes in the defense that need to be fixed. It will be interesting to see if the Clemson football coaches can fix those mistakes in the next two weeks before they play UNC.
Next: Clemson vs Syracuse: Photo Gallery
Bottom Line:
These are just instant thoughts when the game comes to mind, but I like Clemson’s chances in this game. UNC is a legitimate top-15 team and will give the Tigers fits, but at the end of the day Clemson football is more talented. The biggest thing for Clemson that week is to play with confidence, not turn the ball over, and prevent the “big play.” If they can do those things, the Tigers will be your ACC Champions and it probably won’t even be close.