Clemson Tigers vs North Carolina Tar Heels Football Preview

Past the midway point of the season, the contenders present themselves – the rest, have to start their run, and quick.

No. 8 Clemson (7-0, 4-0 ACC) hosts North Carolina (5-2, 1-2 ACC) Saturday in a matchup featuring teams on opposite ends of that spectrum.

The Tigers survived a defense optional trip to Maryland last week, surrendering 468 yards in a 56-45 win over the Terps, but two touchdowns coming directly off Clemson turnovers (a 46-yard interception return for touchdown and muffed punt inside their five-yard line).

Tigers coach Dabo Swinney’s underclassmen-heavy roster posted the most points in a road ACC game in school history (56) and the second-biggest comeback (18) down as much as 35-17 with 13:06 to go in the third quarter.

Electric Clemson freshman wide receiver Sammy Watkins downed yet another school mark with a record-setting 345 all-purpose yards – adding three touchdowns total.

In Chapel Hill, another slow start finally plagued the Tar Heels in a 30-24 division loss to the Miami Hurricanes.

UNC and Louisville played a scoreless first half before the Tar Heels took over in a 14-7 win the week before, and similar starts occurred in previous home wins against Rutgers and Virginia – this time, the road team took advantage.

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Miami scored on their first five drives for a 27-10 lead at the half and only needed a field goal in the second to hold off North Carolina’s late rally for the six-point win.

What UNC did well on the day against the Hurricanes will come in handy against Clemson Saturday – stopping the run.

The Tar Heels held the ACC’s leading rusher Lamar Miller to 29 yards and 1.8 yards per carry, and their job is no easier this week – facing Tiger running back Andre Ellington coming off a career-high 212 rushing yards against Maryland last week.

But stop the run, and Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd and his bevy of young receivers are ready to step in and put up points themselves.

Boyd ranks first in the ACC in total offense per game (388.83 yards) with 19 passing touchdowns to three interceptions. The sophomore first-year starter has had two 300-plus yard passing games against ranked opponents (386 against Auburn and 344 against FSU) and only one game with less than 260 yards passing (204 in a 23-3 road win at Virginia Tech).

And add to that, the Tar Heels rank 92nd nationally in pass defense, giving up 247.47 yards per game – Hurricanes quarterback Jacory Harris had his way last week, hitting 20-of-30 passes for 267 yards and three touchdowns on UNC.

Speaking of defensive weaknesses, a struggling Clemson run defense, which gave up 291 yards to Maryland, takes on the top freshman running back in the country, UNC tailback Giovani Bernard.

Against Miami, Bernard posted his fifth-straight 100 rushing yard performance of the season with 110, which he’s also averaging in yards per game on the season with nine touchdowns.

By: Brandon Rink
DFN Sports Staff Writer