Walker Parks, Clemson riding new life into ACC Championship

Clemson's leadership group looks to bring home another ACC title, and this time, make a CFP appearance. (Photo: Charles Leclaire / USATODAY)

Grayson Mann - Staff Writer - Thursday, December 05 2024

CLEMSON - Walker Parks took his time on his way out of Memorial Stadium following the loss to South Carolina. Despite the sorrow he felt at the moment, he proclaimed to those around him he had faith in Syracuse, the team Clemson needed to win for an ACC Championship spot.

As Parks describes it, a woman walked by him and informed him the Orange were down 21-0 to Miami.

“Well, there’s that,” Parks thought.

Not so fast.

Parks headed to his parents' tailgate, and remained glued to the screen as the game played out, still hopeful.

His hope would be rewarded.

The veteran lineman watched as Kyle McCord and Syracuse upset Miami, opening the door for Clemson to sneak into the ACC Championship and keeping playoff hopes alive.

Going from devastation to a newfound sense of triumph, Parks knows this week is about stabilizing those emotions, and getting back on track.

“Like I said, after the game, you're just being devastated by a loss like that, especially at home in a state rivalry game like that, but you got to flush it quick,” Parks said. “Especially in this game, what I told the guys, you have almost to have amnesia in this game and come off a loss on Saturday, and then immediately an hour after you walk out of the locker room, two hours or whatever, you have another opportunity to go to the ACC championship and then make it back to the playoffs. Everything is still right in front of you, so you have to flush that quick, and everybody starts firing up in the group chats and talking. Talking about the mentality for this week and getting back ready and back on track.”

Clemson finds itself in a rather simple scenario for the College Football Playoff: Win and you’re in.

In a way, Saturday reflects how the 2024 season has gone for the Tigers. A mix of emotions, but at the end of all the ups and downs, this team still has an opportunity to accomplish a significant goal.

This roster has experienced rebounding after a loss, ironically playing in another ACC Championship following a loss to South Carolina.

They probably don’t love that they’ve been in this situation before, but there is a formula for this group after losses. The question will now be, can they repeat that bounce-back effort on the season's biggest stage?

Parks believes if this group can prepare with a purpose, there’s a path for this team to seek redemption in a major moment.

“Coming off a loss, I wouldn't say that there's any more will or want to after a loss like that,” Parks said. “You want to just the same going into every week. Every week we prepare with a purpose, and we prepare to our best. And so coming off losses, like that's tough, but you just have to move forward and handle business, and the only thing that you can take from the losses is the corrections that you made from in the game and learn how to fix the mistakes and take those moving forward. So that's obviously been a great deal of help this year, and I think we've done a good job moving forward, so we just have to keep doing that.”

Clemson has been given another chance to course-correct for a shot to make the playoff. Maybe not all the sins of 2024 can be forgiven with a win on Saturday, but Parks believes this team has rejuvenated life, and that opportunity won’t be wasted in Charlotte.