The Clemson football team will take on the North Carolina Tar Heel Saturday afternoon in Kenan Stadium. Here are our staff predictions for the matchup.
Each week, Rubbing the Rock gives you a complete staff breakdown of the Tigers’ matchups. This week, Dabo Swinney and Co. will take on the North Carolina Tar Heels.
UNC comes into the game with a 2-2 record. The Tar Heels had two impressive close victories against South Carolina and Miami to open the season, but then fell short in both games against Wake Forest and Appalachian State.
Mack Brown and his program will be looking to pull off a major upset Saturday at home, but can it be done? Here’s a look at our staff scoring predictions for the ACC matchup.
Shawn Spencer
Score: Clemson 49, North Carolina 13
Reason: The Tigers take control of this one methodically and then coaches get a bunch of bodies in the game. Sound familiar?
Barry Shuck
Score: Clemson 45, North Carolina 17
Reason: Although improved, North Carolina does not have the offense to contain the monster also known as Clemson’s defense
Cole Little
Score: Clemson 45, North Carolina 14
Reason: Just one week removed from being upset by the Appalachian State Mountaineers at home, the North Carolina Tar Heels are not exactly in a great position to slow down the freight train that is the Clemson Tigers’ offense on Saturday. After receiving plenty of rest in last Saturday’s beatdown of the Charlotte 49ers, Tiger quarterback Trevor Lawrence should be refreshed and poised to lay waste to the North Carolina secondary, leading to a blowout victory by the Tigers.
Sean Watterson
Score: Clemson 42, North Carolina 17
Reason: C’mon. No disrespect to App State, but is a team that gave up 34 points to the Mountaineers going to be in the same ballpark as the Tigers? The Tarheels also scored fewer points against the Mountaineers did than Charlotte could muster. And that’s with UNC at home! Etienne and Dixon will both go off, and it’ll be over quickly.
Tyreese Ingram
Score: Clemson 52, North Carolina 10
Reason: UNC has lost consecutive games to Wake Forest (road) and Appalachian State (home), so it’s inconceivable that Clemson doesn’t roll into Chapel Hill and roll out with a convincing win.
Nick Young
Score: Clemson 35, North Carolina 14
Reason: With a freshman QB at the helm of the Tar Heels offense it will be a defensive playmaking day for the tigers. As long as we effectively use Travis Etienne we should be dominant.
What do you think, Tiger fans? Comment below with your scoring prediction and make sure you check back here on Rubbing the Rock for full coverage, analysis and updates heading into the North Carolina matchup and throughout the 2019 season.