Clemson didn’t play last weekend, but the Tigers still came out looking better for it.
That’s the odd reality of a bye week in college football: sometimes the biggest wins happen while you’re on the couch. For Dabo Swinney’s team, a weekend off turned into a clean reset in the ACC race after a pair of conference contenders stumbled.
Two unbeaten league teams, Duke and Pittsburgh, both took losses. Duke fell at Georgia Tech, while Pitt dropped its home game to the North Carolina Tar Heels. That reshaped the standings in Clemson’s favor and pulled the Tigers back into a crowded pack with just one conference loss.
Miami, of course, stayed idle as well, so the Hurricanes couldn’t be knocked off their perch. Most projections still have Miami headed to Charlotte anyway, but the Tigers got help everywhere else they needed it.
Florida State and Virginia Tech also lost, which matters for Clemson because those are the next two ACC opponents on the schedule. Both now sit with two conference losses, a sign that the league picture may be sorting itself out after some early-season optimism around those programs.
Instead of staring at a 3-2 conference mark, Clemson is sitting at 2-1 and tied for third in the ACC. Only Miami and Wake Forest are technically ahead of the Tigers, both at 3-1 in league play and both with their lone ACC defeat coming against Miami. That makes Wake Forest the biggest threat in front of Clemson right now.
Behind those two are Pitt, SMU, Virginia and Cal, each at 2-1 in conference play. The good news for Clemson is simple: the Tigers don’t have to deal with any of them the rest of the way.
The path to Charlotte is still there, and winning out would keep it alive for Clemson’s third trip there in five seasons. Games against Virginia Tech and Duke will be part of that test, along with the rest of the stretch run.
For now, the bye week handed Clemson exactly what it could have hoped for. The Tigers didn’t lift a finger, but the league did the work for them, and they enter this week’s game against Charleston Southern in better shape than they were seven days ago.
In Other News...
Clemsons Guard Depth Takes Another Hit With Zac Foster Down Again
Clemsons backcourt depth took another blow in mid-October when sophomore guard Zac Foster learned the knee he had already rehabbed had suffered a second ACL tear. The injury was confirmed by an MRI on Oct. 12, leaving the Tigers without a timetable for his return and forcing the staff to account for another lost piece before the season even settles in.
Brad Brownell has made clear Foster remains part of the programs daily fabric despite the setback, and the guards continued involvement around the team matters for a group that has already had to adjust its plans. For Clemson, the challenge now is not just replacing minutes, but managing a rotation that was supposed to lean on Fosters development and instead has to keep moving without knowing when, or how soon, he can get back. [Read more 🡒]
Clemsons Thinned D-Line Could Finally Get A Needed Boost
A long wait on Clemsons defensive front may be nearing an end. Defensive tackle Kourtney Kelly, who tore his ACL in March, is expected to make his season debut against Charleston Southern, and Dabo Swinney said Kelly has already been taking part in competitive practice work. He is also listed as a backup on the depth chart, a sign that the Tigers are at least preparing to work him back into the mix.
For a defensive line that has had to absorb injuries and departures, Kellys return comes at a useful time. Clemson has leaned on its depth more than planned, and getting another body back inside should help ease some of that pressure as the season moves forward. Whether Kelly is ready to immediately reclaim a major role is still a separate question, but simply having him available again gives the Tigers another needed option up front. [Read more 🡒]
Clemsons Backcourt Just Took A Brutal Hit Again
Clemsons backcourt has been hit with another tough blow, as sophomore guard Zac Foster tore his ACL again and is likely done for the season. It is a painful repeat for Foster, who was already sidelined by the same injury during his freshman year, leaving the Tigers to adjust once more around a guard rotation that had hoped to gain stability with his return.
Brad Brownell and Foster both addressed the setback in statements, reflecting the disappointment that comes with another lengthy recovery for a player still trying to get his college career moving in the right direction. For Clemson, the concern now is less about one lost piece than about how to keep the backcourt intact after losing a player who was expected to help deepen it. [Read more 🡒]