Tigers face most important game of the season

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Thu Sep 27 13:49:02 GMT-04:00 2012

CLEMSON – The biggest game of the season for the Clemson Tigers? Florida St.? South Carolina? Virginia Tech? Georgia Tech?

None of the above, according to head coach Dabo SwinneyDabo Swinney
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The Tigers are 3-1 and still ranked in the Top 20 after a disappointing loss at Florida St. last week, and Swinney said he wants his team to understand and focus on the fact that all of the goals they have set for this season are still within reach.

However, they all start with a win over Boston College this weekend at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, a place that has typically seen more talented Clemson teams struggle against the Eagles.

He said Wednesday night that the Tigers have had a good week of practice in preparing for Boston College, which was off last week.

“It’s been a good week. I like how the guys have practiced,” Swinney said after Wednesday’s practice. “It’s been a tough couple of practices. They have really been challenged, but guys are ready to go play again and that is what you want to see. I am glad we are just a couple of days from getting back out on the field and having a chance to finish a ballgame.”

Clemson returns home the following week for the usual struggle against cross-division rival Georgia Tech, and that is followed by an open date.

“We will worry about Georgia Tech next week, but this is a big game,” Swinney said. “I was just telling the team that this is the biggest game of the year because this is truly the next game. Look ahead and all of that, and you lose focus. The biggest game of the season is not last Saturday – it is this Saturday, When you look back is when you lose control. This is a one-game season. We have to win this game, and if we are fortunate enough to be around next Monday, then the next game is the biggest game. “

He said that the coaching staff has been making sure the players are keeping their focus on Boston College.

“That is not coach-speak, that is the reality when you are dealing with young people,” he said. “If you start doing it any other way, they lose focus and they lose sight of what they are shooting for right now. We want to go strong into the open date, and hopefully position ourselves to move on from that. But to take another step – move up the mountain so to speak – it has to start with a win this week.”

The Tigers’ lack of success at Boston College can be attributed to different factors, he said, but then said good programs finish games on the road.

“They are always well-coached and a good football team,” he said. “It is just a tough place to go play. it is a little different. It is by far our longest trip. It will be fun, and hopefully it will be good weather. It may rain, who knows. It is certainly a different environment than what we have here. But then we will have a couple of weeks at home, and I think that’s big. We have five out of seven at home to finish the season. But if we want to be the type of team we want to be, we have to win on the road. We have to finish on the road. Last week we didn’t finish, and this week we have to finish, regardless of where we are and who we are playing.”