Clemson football: Style points don’t matter in ugly win vs. Boston College

Despite another poor offensive showing and a defense that bent several times over the course of the evening, the Clemson football team somehow found a way to escape with an ugly 19-13 win over ACC Atlantic foe Boston College on Saturday evening.

Though the Tigers moved the ball a few times and were gifted good field position due to a couple of turnovers, the offense ultimately couldn’t cap off drives and had to settle for field goals on four separate occasions. If just one of those drives go for a touchdown, Clemson is never in position to lose the game.

Though the Tiger defense came up with stops when they were needed most, the unit also ‘bent’ on several drives and allowed Boston College to move the ball fairly easy towards the end of the game. Luckily, though, Clemson was able to come away with three turnovers– including the game-winning fumble recovery by KJ Henry on a bobbled snap– to escape with a victory.

Style points no longer matter for the 2021 Clemson football season. It’s all about finding a way to win.

We’ve got to accept that, frankly, this Clemson football team isn’t very good.

They’re not on the level on any of the past six teams that we’ve seen and, honestly, this team looks a lot more like the 2014 team as we continue to break down how they’re playing.

The offense is a mixture of a ton of bad aspects at times, including QB play, play-calling, offensive line and wide receivers who can’t seem to come up with catches when they’re needed most.

But, it should be encouraging that the team somehow found a way to escape with a victory.

In a season where it simply seems like nothing has bounced the Tigers’ way, Clemson was finally the beneficiary of a play– that bobbled snap– that resulted in them winning the game.

Yes, there’s still plenty to improve upon and to criticize. And, we’ll get there.

But for now, Clemson football fans need to realize that this team– with the help of one of the best crowds we’ve seen in Death Valley over the past couple of years– found a way to win the game.

As a result, they stay alive in the ACC Atlantic Division race and they’ll now have an opportunity to recuperate during a much-needed bye week before getting back on the road to take on the Syracuse Orange on a Friday night a couple of weeks from now.

There’s no CFB Playoff committee to impress anymore this season, so the Tigers are playing for wins. Yes, we want to see them improve and play to the standard, but if you want them to reach the goals that can still be achieved this season– ie. winning the division, state championship, conference and potentially a New Year’s Six Bowl– they just have to find a way to win games.

Whether it’s by one point or 50 points, you just have to get in the win column.