The LSU game was nearly a month ago. However, it remains the nadir of Clemson's season so far. A 41-point road loss in primetime over Labor Day Weekend is a tough memory to forget. Thankfully, Clemson has improved dramatically since scraping along at rock bottom. With three wins in a row over Georgia Southern, North Carolina, and Cal, Clemson has a chance to flip the script versus Miami.
Entering Week 5, Clemson and Miami are the only two teams to start ACC play at 2-0. Although the Hurricanes are undoubtedly the team to beat in their conference, Clemson is playing with palpable momentum coming in. This game will be at home for the Tigers. Even if they are a sizable underdog, Clemson has a huge opportunity to change its fate from a total afterthought to an ACC contender.
Dabo Swinney made a bold move to pivot off Christopher Vizzina in favor of Tait Reynolds at starting quarterback. While it hasn't always been pretty, Reynolds is now the third true freshman quarterback to start his career at 2-0 at Clemson since 1972, joining the likes of Tiger legends Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence. By starting 3-0, Clemson could emerge as the team to beat across the ACC.
Clemson no longer has to let the LSU beatdown define the Tigers' season
According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Clemson will be getting a gargantuan 16.5 points at home from the visiting Hurricanes. Although Miami is a top-five team in the country, the Hurricanes are a bit banged up coming in. Plus, they have not played in a venue quite like Death Valley yet this season. Miami has a proclivity for losing games it shouldn't under Mario Cristobal. This game fits the bill.
Given the gigantic opportunity ahead for Clemson, the LSU debacle no longer has to define the Tigers' season. In fact, if the Tigers perform well, or even win this game over the Hurricanes, it could reshape the entire narrative of their season. LSU may end up being a College Football Playoff team out of the SEC. Good teams get blown out to great teams all the time. Just look no further than 2024.
During that campaign, Clemson would get blown out in Atlanta to eventual SEC champion Georgia. Clemson battled back to not only win the ACC, but reach the College Football Playoff as well. With few games left on the schedule even remotely as daunting as the Miami home date, Clemson could potentially get a shot at redemption in Charlotte. This team can absolutely finish at 10-2 (7-1).
What this Clemson turnaround signifies is a team that has reinvented itself around a new starting quarterback. Reynolds is still a work in progress, but he does give the Tigers hope that Vizzina never could. Furthermore, he has such a long runway to grow, whereas Vizzina is mostly a finished product. Even if Clemson comes up short versus Miami, it is a vastly different team than the one from Week 1.
To go from Power Four cannon fodder to a legitimate ACC contender in four weeks is so impressive.
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