Clemson Must Dominate Charleston Southern To Stay In Playoff Hunt

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Clemson needs to win big against Charleston Southern to keep their season alive. The Tigers are 3-2 and need a dominant performance to get back on track. Coach Dabo Swinney knows this game is their best chance to fix things before the tough schedule starts. They cannot afford to just get by.

The team has struggled to put up points all year. The nation’s average points per game place them at rank 118. That is not good enough for a team with big hopes. Swinney says they have a great opportunity if they can handle their business. This week is the time to show they are ready for November.

The Bye Week Reality Check

It is strange that Clemson plays an FCS school right after their break. Swinney admitted this seems unusual to him. “This seems unusual to me that we’re playing a FCS school after the break,” he stated. But he also sees the good side of it. The team has had little room for error and could not play many guys in recent games.

The goal is simple: get healthy and fix the mistakes they made on their own. Swinney wants the team to dominate the game. He told his players they have to try to get to 4-2 next week. This is a must-win situation. The Tigers have been good after bye weeks before, with a record of 18-6 under Swinney.

This is the easiest opponent they have faced after a break in his entire career. In the past, Clemson never played an FCS team after an open date. The stats say they should win. Clemson has a 99 percent chance of winning the game according to ESPN Analytics via Yahoo Sports. But stats do not win games. The players have to show up and play hard.

Five Tough Games Loom Ahead

After this game, the real test begins. Clemson has to play five straight ACC opponents. They also face their big rivalry game with South Carolina later in the year. Swinney knows the season turns to the second half now. He said, “We’ve got a big couple weeks coming up.” That means this week is the start of a long road.

Last year, the team was not in the mix for November. Swinney made it clear that being there is the goal. They cannot waste this chance. The losses to LSU and Miami hurt, but the wins were not dominant either.

They need to prove they are better than Charleston Southern. Swinney remarked that while they aren’t taking Charleston Southern lightly, they are a better football team than Charleston Southern. He wants them to play the way they are capable of playing. They need to dominate this game. The team has to handle their business now.

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