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Clemson Football: Notre Dame provides first real ACC Championship test

By Shawn Spencer

Nov 7, 2020; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Clemson Tigers running back Travis Etienne (9) runs the ball as Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Kurt Hinish (41) attempts to tackle in the first quarter at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 7, 2020; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Clemson Tigers running back Travis Etienne (9) runs the ball as Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Kurt Hinish (41) attempts to tackle in the first quarter at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /
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Clemson football has a real test in the ACC Championship game, unlike anything before

The Clemson football program will have its first real test in years when it travels to Charlotte to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the ACC Championship game.

The Tigers, who lost to Notre Dame earlier in the season, will now have the chance to get revenge in what will be a tightly-contested affair.

Over the course of Clemson’s five-straight ACC Championship seasons, the Tigers have had the upper hand entering each matchup. It’s not to say that every opponent was bad or that they didn’t have a shot, but no one would mistake any of the last five opponents as legitimate competition for the CFB Playoff.

Here’s a little refresher of the last five ACC Championship games and the result:

  • 2015: Clemson 45, North Carolina 37
  • 2016: Clemson 42, Virginia Tech 35
  • 2017: Clemson 38, Miami 3
  • 2018: Clemson 42, Pittsburgh 10
  • 2019: Clemson 62, Virginia 17

Clemson football was the favorite for a reason in each of these games, but Notre Dame presents a unique challenge

There were some tightly-contested games in this five-year streak for the conference title. UNC- who was ranked No. 9 in the nation coming into the game- was just an onside kick recovery away from potentially tying the game and sending it to overtime against the Tigers.

Clemson and Virginia Tech- who was ranked No. 19- had an offensive shootout in the 2016 game that saw the Tigers win by just a touchdown.

Though Clemson blew out Miami, the Hurricanes actually entered the 2017 game as the No. 7-ranked team in the country and did have an outside shot of making the CFB Playoff if they beat the Tigers.

That being said, Notre Dame is on a different level.

This is the first ACC Championship that Clemson football will be entering where the outcome, in my mind, is seriously in doubt in terms of the on-paper matchup. This is the first time where it wouldn’t be a major upset for the opposing team to beat the Tigers. And that’s saying something.

Next. Someone's selling a $17,184 ACC Championship ticket. dark

Notre Dame’s not going to just lay down because they beat Clemson earlier in the season. This is going to be a hard-fought battle and one that will be tightly-contested before a winner is crowned.

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