Clemson’s date with Miami is on the calendar, but the kickoff time still isn’t.
That’s because the Oct. 3 matchup in Death Valley is sitting on a “six-day hold,” leaving the ACC to wait until after this week’s games before locking in the Tigers and Hurricanes. For Clemson fans, that means no official start time yet for what is shaping up to be the biggest home game on the schedule.
The hold isn’t just about Clemson and Miami, either. Notre Dame at North Carolina is also waiting on its final slot, and the expectation is that one of those two games will land in a noon window while the other gets the primetime stage, most likely at 7:30 p.m.
That prime ABC window is still open, and the feeling is that Oct. 3 could be the matchup that fills it.
A lot depends on what happens this weekend. Clemson heads west to face California on Friday night in its second ACC game of the season, while Miami hosts Central Michigan on Saturday evening. The Hurricanes are expected to handle that one, while Clemson’s trip to Cal is being treated as much more of a toss-up.
Notre Dame and North Carolina also have their own setup to sort through. The Irish are at Purdue, while the Tar Heels are coming off a bye. Their most recent game before that is the 28-20 loss to Clemson, a game in which the Tigers erased a 14-point deficit.
If Clemson takes care of business against Cal, the chances of that Miami showdown getting the night slot rise sharply. That would make it Dabo Swinney’s second game under the lights at Memorial Stadium this season.
Miami is sitting at No. 6 in the AP Poll, and could move up depending on how the teams ahead of it fare against tough opponents this weekend. If Mario Cristobal’s team holds serve, Clemson would get another crack at making a statement against a heavyweight, with the Hurricanes having finished runner-up in the national championship a season ago.
Still, Clemson’s attention is on the Golden Bears first. The Tigers already opened ACC play with a 21-18 road win at Syracuse, and Friday’s game has been viewed by many as a potential trap spot that could help shape the rest of their season.
If Clemson slips at Cal, the likely outcome is a noon kickoff, with ESPN or ABC expected to carry it.
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The win put Reynolds in rare company alongside names that matter around Clemson for very different reasons, including Deshaun Watson, Trevor Lawrence and DJ Uiagalelei. For a program that has spent years weighing its future at quarterback, Reynolds debut offered an encouraging glimpse of what the next chapter might look like, even if there is still plenty left to sort out. [Read more 🡒]
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For Clemson, the bigger picture matters as much as the opponent. A win here would add to the momentum the Tigers are trying to build and keep them in a strong position as they look ahead to a much bigger measuring-stick game with Miami. The challenge is obvious: handle a cross-country road game, avoid a letdown, and leave with the kind of result that can make the first month of the season feel more meaningful. [Read more 🡒]
Clemsons Late Night At Cal Could Set Up Another Huge Spotlight
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If Clemson handles business out in Berkeley, the reward could be more than a flight home and a short week. The ACC is still keeping the Week 5 kickoff window open on a six-day notice, and Clemsons home date with Miami is one of the games sitting in that holding pattern along with Notre Dame at North Carolina, leaving open the possibility of another spotlight game at Memorial Stadium. [Read more 🡒]