Led by quarterback Deshaun Watson, the Tigers have played tremendous football up to this point in the season. A shocking upset loss last week against the University of Pittsburgh Panthers knocked the Tigers off track but they look to get back on track this week. The loss last week didn’t totally eliminate the Tigers from contention for the College Football Playoff. Especially since Washington and Michigan both lost as well.
Look for Watson to connect with wide receiver Mike Williams, who only needs 44 yards to break the 1000 yard mark this season. The Tigers have shown that they’re battle tested, winning close games against tough opponents like Florida State, Louisville, and Auburn. Don’t be fooled by last weeks’ result, as the Tigers are still on a mission to contend for the National Championship, and winning those big games may have solidified their position.
Wake Forest has played a few close games this season. Their most notable game was a 17-6 loss to Florida State. Wake Forest leads the ACC in turnover margin, creating 23 turnovers this season. Clemson has consistently turned the football over this year, which is a major problem. 21 times to be exact and six of those were in the red zone. If the Demon Deacons can find a way to force turnovers, this may be a closer game than what fans expect.
The Tigers are in a must win situation. They can’t afford any more losses if they want to make the playoffs. The Demon Deacons face their second top ten opponent in two weeks. Last weeks’ game against Louisville was close until the fourth quarter, when Louisville scored 34 unanswered points on a scoring barrage.
After the loss, Wake Forest suspected that Louisville had stolen, or somehow acquired their game plan. That suspicion has sparked an investigation. Wake Forest suspected this because they found documents of plays hey hadn’t run, were in Louisville’s stadium. A member of Wake Forest traveling party found the documents Friday and contacted the athletic director after doing so. Outside of the investigation the Deacons could play another close game ate home this week against the Tigers.
The big question is can they force turnovers like they did last week against Louisville? If they can do that, it may result in a win for the Deacons. But if Clemson comes out with a chip on their shoulders, it may be too much for the Deacons to handle.
