Clemson Tigers: Out with a Thud

Saturday night was to mark the beginning of what was projected to be a memorable year for Clemson Tiger fans. Instead, it appeared to signify another season of mediocrity and unfulfilled potential. In front of a fairly even-split packed crowd at the Georgia Dome in downtown Atlanta, Clemson came out and laid a big fat egg against Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide. The game was a highly anticipated duel between two programs seemingly on the rise. The Tide were entering Saban's second season and sported the consensus #1 recruiting class in the nation, led by stud receiver Julio Jones. Clemson was the near unanimous pick to win the ACC and returned loaded at the skill positions and also boasted a Top-5 recruiting class. The game was televised in prime time on ABC to a national audience, ESPN televised its Gameday program from Atlanta, and each team had a chance to start their season off on the right track with a solid non-conference win.

The game itself was far from the barn burner it was built up to be, as it more resembled the New England Patriots taking on the Decatur High Junior Varsity squad. 'Bama simply pushed the Tigers around on both sides of the ball and were clearly the more prepared team. On offense, the Tide rolled up over 250 yards rushing and QB John Parker Wilson was rarely under pressure. Alabama's defensive line seemed determined to host a party in the Clemson backfield on every play, plugging running holes and giving preseason All-ACC QB Cullen Harper barely time to get a grip on the ball before trying to dodge 300 lb lineman. Clemson's only offense came courtesy of a C.J. Spiller kickoff return that gave the Tigers a brief glimmer of hope. That hope was quickly squashed by more time consuming Alabama drives, as it was clear who was the superior team on the field.

For Clemson coach Tommy Bowden, it was the latest in a series of disappointing losses. Bowden has repeatedly squandered chances to win the ACC outright in the past few seasons, and although not a conference game, Saturday was not a good harbinger of things to come. Clemson appears headed to another 8-4 season and a mid-level bowl game. If there is any hope for a strong season, the offensive and defensive lines will have to gel quickly and start playing up to their talent level. Clemson needs to regroup and come out motivated to win every week, something this team has consistently failed to do under Bowden. The Tigers play a series of weak opponents throughout September, beginning with The Citadel this Saturday, that should give the team a chance to come together and rally. Otherwise, it will be another average year and a likely extension of Bowden's already too-rich contract for a program that seems to aspire to mediocrity.

I leave with this experience from post-game that best sums up Clemson's performance on Saturday. While sitting on a packed MARTA train car late that night a random Alabama fan started the following chant that will forever haunt my dreams:

Give me a 'B'
B!
Give me an 'A'
A!
Give me an 'M'
M!
Give me an 'A'
A!
What do we got?
Bama!
Who got Julio?
Bama!
Who got 12?
Bama!
Who's getting 13?
Bama!
Who beat Clemson?
Bama!

My friend asked me if we should chime back with some '1-2-3-4.' "No," I said, "Clemson doesn't deserve it today."