Thoughts on the Clemson Game/Rivalry:

The first post from my Ghost writer:

Since joining the ACC, Boston College has had one definitive rival, Virginia Tech. It is a general consensus among students and fans, and the VaTech game is certainly one of the most anticipated games of the year. But, the ACC move has also kindled another, although quieter, rival in Clemson.

Some of the more recent memorable Boston College games have come from sparring with Clemson. In 2006, the over-time win (BC 34, Clemson 33); 2007 saw Matt Ryan engineer yet another season saving comeback drive to put the Eagles ahead in the Atlantic Division standings and secured a spot for our team in the ACCCG (BC 20, Clemson 17); last year’s 2008 heart breaker (BC 21, Clemson 27) where Crane and company could not finish the job. Every time we play Clemson, the game seems to summarize/suggest what our season has been/will be.

Perhaps this is why I am highly anticipating this week’s game. Clemson will be our first competition of note, and begins our road to the ACC Championship. How we match up against this Clemson team may not be indicative of how we stack up against teams like VaTech, Notre Dame, and FSU (though after this past, I am skeptical of stating that FSU is a dominant team), but it will be a good gauge for the ACC in general. Like BC, Clemson entered this season with a first year head coach (though Swinney has the advantage over Spaz, coming in with a half season of experience) and a freshman quarterback. There were not as many questions surrounding the state of their program as ours, but the transitions still threw the program into a state of flux. But Clemson, especially after the Georgia Tech, is certainly not looking like the bottom of the ACC barrel. I think that how BC approaches this game and handles themselves on the field will be a strong indicator as to what we can expect from our guys for the rest of the season.

I am not going to break down Clemson’s team (I suggest looking at CBNB for that), but BC matches up well this year against the Tigers; both teams share similar talent and skill on both sides of the ball. It is going to be a good game for the rivalry, and quite possibly could determine the Atlantic winner.

Notes on the BC/Clemson Rivalry
- The Eagles lead the Tigers 4-1 all time. The most recent match up saw the Tigers taking home the O’Rourke/McFadden Trophy. It was Dabo Swinney’s first win as a head coach.
- Clemson University is public university with an approx. undergraduate population of about 18,500. In contrast, Boston College is a private Catholic university with a population of about 8,500.
- Death Valley is considered one of the most intimidating venues (and largest) in college football, yet Clemson fans are considered the class of the ACC, and for good reason. They host highly hospitable tailgates, inviting even opposing fans by for food and beverage, and as Herzlich has undergone his treatments, they have offered remarkable and touching support. On the other hand, while Alumni Stadium is fierce in its own right, BC fans are known to be the most hostile in the ACC (I blame the frigid cold as opposed to the Southern gentle winters).