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The top ranked Clemson Tigers welcome to town the seventh ranked Miami Hurricanes for a primetime affair on Saturday night in Death Valley. This is the first matchup of top ten teams in Clemson since the Tigers hosted Lamar Jackson and the third ranked Louisville Cardinals back in 2016.
Where To Watch: 7:30 PM ABC
Streaming: ESPN App
Announcers: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, and Allison Williams
Radio: Clemson Tigers Radio Network, Check ClemsonTigers.com for an affiliate in your area
Online Radio: Tune In Radio App, The Roar App
Announcers: Don Munson, Tim Bourrett, and Reggie Merriweather
Betting Line: Clemson (-15) Over/Under (60)
Storylines To Watch:
- Something to keep a close eye on will be how the Clemson defense handles a much more mobile quarterback in D’Eriq King. They struggled with Virginia quarterback Brennan Armstrong last week and containing King will be a huge part of what the Tigers will have to do to get the win.
- How will the Clemson offense handle the potential bad weather. Many still remember what it felt like during the torrential flood in 2015 when Notre Dame visited Death Valley. Though no one is expecting that type of downpour, it will be interesting to see just how this offense handles the ball in a wet environment. Do they air it out or lean more on Travis Etienne and company. Ball security will be a must in a game against a team that prides themselves on turnovers.
- Another thing to watch is just how well these two teams handle the primetime game. 19,000 fans is a lot less than most teams get in Death Valley under the lights but at the same time it’s still going to be loud. Some have questioned whether Miami is ready for this type of big game environment, while Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney and the Tigers have made a living winning on the games biggest stages.
- Trevor Lawrence vs D’Eriq King. Could we get another game like the one Tiger fans witnessed between Deshaun Watson and Lamar Jackson a few years back. These two will be the difference between whether their team wins or loses this game. Not just through the air but with their legs as well.
- Can the Clemson corners contain the speedy Miami wideouts. This group had their best showing of the season last week against Virginia and are finally at full strength with Mario Goodrich back and Derion Kendrick out of the doghouse. They must play well again this week. That also includes the safeties and linebackers. Miami has a big, physically gifted tight end who can pose matchup problems for most teams. They also love to get their running backs involved in the passing game.
