No Steps Back
One of the things Dabo Swinney has been able to do at Clemson is win big games. Outside of a 1-5 record against South Carolina, Swinney has played very well in big games. He has beaten Florida State twice, Auburn twice, Virginia Tech three times, and Georgia, LSU and Ohio State once.
As the 2014 season approaches, it may not be a realistic to expect big wins at places like Georgia and Florida State but I don't want to take a step backwards in another area where Swinney has excelled. The Tigers have beaten teams they are favored over on a consistent basis.
In the Bowden era, Clemson lost embarrassing games to Wake Forest, Duke, Boston College, Virginia and Maryland. Swinney has put an end to those days.
Georgia Tech has been a thorn in the Tigers' side, but Swinney's Tigers have won three of the last four against the Yellow Jackets.
Boston College is not the program now that it was when Bowden faced them, but Swinney is 5-1 against the Eagles.
Clemson has had some embarrassing losses to Duke, but Swinney's teams are 2-0 against the Blue Devils.
Like Boston College, Virginia is not the program it once was, but Swinney is 3-0 against Virginia.
I have sat in Death Valley and watched Maryland destroy Clemson at times. Other times the Terps upset the Tigers despite having less talent. I know they have left for the Big 10, but Swinney sent the Terps to their new conference with a four game losing streak against Clemson.
Remember the 45-17 Wake Forest win against Clemson in 2003 and the 12-7 Wake win in 2008? Swinney has reversed that trend and his teams are 5-0 against the Deacs.
It was hard watching Chuck Amato's NC State teams thumping Clemson, but Swinney's Tigers are 4-1 against the Wolfpack.
Like many of you, I sat and watched Virginia Tech physically hammer Clemson on several occasions. Swinney's Tigers are 3-0 against Tech, including two wins where the Hokies were ranked in the top 11 in the country.
This could be a slight rebuilding year for the Tigers who will try to replace great players on both sides of the football, but the hope here is that the Tigers have recruited well enough that the rest of the league has not caught them in a rebuilding year.
North Carolina is a hot pick in the Coastal division but I believe Clemson is still more talented than the Tar Heels. NC State is not ready to compete with the Tigers unless there is a drastic turn around in Raleigh. I doubt Boston College can beat the Tigers despite the game being in Chestnut Hill. Syracuse did not look close to Clemson last year and I doubt they have improved enough to win in Death Valley. I expect Wake Forest to be a bad football team this year and I can see Georgia Tech continuing to their recent run of mediocrity.
In many observers' eyes this season will come down to games with Georgia, Florida State and South Carolina. However I hope we don't look back at this season as one where the slip up against an inferior opponent arises again.
The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency
Prayer List
We have started a prayer list on the blog. Here are the guidelines:
If you are offended by prayer or prayer lists then I apologize in advance. The blog is free and the prayer list will be on the bottom of the page so you don’t have to read it.
If you would like to add someone to the list please email me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com
*Please let me know when it is appropriate to take the person off of the prayer list.
Those who need our prayers include: Finn Brookover, Jo Ann Bachman, Kenneth Bryant, Pruitt Martin, Got Igers and his family, David Rowland, Leonard, Gillespie and his family, Jim S., Daniel Rosborough, the Huffman family, Nancy Winkler, John Reeve, Vinnie Brock, Kaitlyn L., Susan Miller, Joyce Harley, Steve Proveaux, Jeffrey Greene, the Hutto family, Sherl Drawdy, Caleb Kennedy, Teresa O'Connor, Matt Jacobs, Perrin Seigler, Candee Massee, Lindsey Jordan, Sam Catoe, Tyler Felch, the Nicolopulos family, "the Jacksonville, FL guys," Kim Sims, the Coyle family, Ryleigh Tedder, Steve Lee, Kelly Trakas, Jimmy Moore, the Thomas V. family, Emary Claire Young, Kitty Bowers, Julie Locke, the Scheider family, Lauren Kittles' family, Frank Gentry, Joyce Bussey, Stacey McKeown, Dale Childs, Larry Lentz, Jr., Carl Sharperson, Scott Hannon, William Perry, Tyler Swaney, Lillian, Mark Feit, David Frame, Chad Berry, the family of Matthew M. Watson, the Dowis family, Alan Putnam, the Olivers, Lee Tate, Ronnie Abrams, Eddie Greene, the Jackson family, Bill Vader, Jim Taylor, Tina DeWitt, Rock Horne, Bobby Wayne Thomas, Emma and Danielle Carothers, Robert Ditty, Mr. and Mrs. Murray Smith, Dot Cartee, Ayden Mills, Millie Heatley, Lynn Martin and family, Michael Pinson, Jake David family, Angie Crowley, Ira, Mike Tolson, Poly Wells, Dr. Muriel Bishop, Jack Cunningham, Emily Jefford Meister, Zachary Stoller, Aaron Clackum, Pat James, Cortney Moore, William Moore, Angelia and Savannah Anderson, William Ross, Scott Johns, Frank Carroll, Brandon Thompson, Alvin Sammons, Georgine McAlhaney, Glen Davis, Mike Price, Clay Childers, Aaron Knight, Danielle Johnston and family, Nicholas Abrams, Lana Kuykendall, Gary, Gary G., William Huggins, Jim Bennett, Chantz Fowler, Ethel McElveen, Michele Gurganus, William Gentry, Lewis Usher and Tanya Sanders, Shon Cooper, Nick Collins, Amanda Peake, Danny Hammond, Chip Turner, Nick Collins, Allen Steen, the Sturkey family, the Lance family, Nick Chrisley's family, Allison Williams, Lt. Kyle Walker, Summer and Joel Johnson, Nicole O'Donnell, James O. Johnson, Joy Pruett and family, Bill Schmidt, Jack Bailey, Gardner Family, Charles Turner, Kathy Bartholomew, Ray Sanders, David and Robin Blocker, J.R. Ray, Kenneth Kowe, Lauren Sielicki, Jenna Phipps, Mark Lawrence, Harlan Sullins, Peter Laboy, Kat and Carlisle Jones, Elizabeth Galloway and family, Anita McDonald, Willard Harryman, Liz Surratt, Molly Senn, Jackie Shearer, Richard Sellers, Tim Drisdelle, Edward Easterling, Dawson Bourne, Susan and Mike Brown, Julie Goodman Marshall, Willard and Dorothy Harryman, Justin Jernigan, Jack Cunningham, Mia Daughtery, Tee Senn, Jim Lanier, Bob Garrett, Skylar, Joseph Thomas, Mrs. Nelis, Jeanne Thompson, Sean Rowell, George Parker, Levon Kirkland and family, Catherine Sewell, Randy Davenport, Patrick Destefano, David Vaughn, Keith Dalton, B.T., Bill Hilbig, Rita Elrod Hammond and family, Jim McKeller, Tony Alewine, Sharon Storck, Dick Baird, Mark Whiten, Richard Bagnal, Tavaris Barnes and family, Dustin and Brittany Peurifoy, Jan Allan, Josh Cox, Tommy "Red" Harper, Gregg and Sylvia Lewis, Travis Hamrick, Jamey Glover, Kaki Harmon, Ron Moore and our great country and the men and women in uniform that protect and serve it every day, plus their families.
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