The game Clemson always finds a way to lose....no longer?

That is a game Clemson always loses. They lose it because they:
A. Always lose a game they need to win the ACC (the atlantic dvision was already clinched before the ’09 win over Virginia)
B. Always lose a game when “things” start happening. Punt return…turnovers….bad defense
C. Always play tighter and tighter as things flow downhill
D. Always plays down to their opponent when heavily favored in a game they need

Clemson won this game because the biggest change in the Dabo era is a team that
doesn’t always find a way to lose. In fact they often find a way to win. Entering this season, Clemson only had nine comebacks from being down 14 or more. This year they have three. This is partly due to Dabo’s team not panicking, and partly due to Clemson having a bad defense and the best offense in the history of their program. In the Bowden era, it seemed like any game that got to 14 points ended as a huge blowout. The only exception I can think of is the ’99 Ga. Tech game when Joe Hamilton led the Jackets to 14-0 and 21-7 before Clemson came roaring back. Now, I have no illusions that Dabo is the new Saban or Les Miles, but it appears the program is much more resilient.

Clemson had so much more talent than Wake that they were able to overcome a game in which the Tigers gave up a punt return, three turnovers, and a quarterback who threw six passes directly into the hands of a Wake Forest defender. They also overcame injuries to their starting left tackle and the near immortal Sammy Watkins. They caught some breaks. Wake missed a field goal right after Clemson missed on 4th and inches. (I think that was the right call by Dabo. You expect to get a 4th and inches with a big QB and veteran O line. Even if it is on your own 30. Plus a quick score by Wake after that wouldn't be as devastating as a long drive would have been.) That field goal always goes in. But it didn’t. Then the Cat Man misses a chipey. We all knew that wasn’t going in. Somehow he gets a chance to redeem himself. And does. I’ve watched Clemson too long now. Over a decade. Did not expect that one to go in. Maybe in a few years we will start to expect things like this, but right now it is still a fun new experience.

Again, not sure how I feel about Steele. Love that he went to press coverage and more people in the box in the 2nd half, but still plenty of issues. On Wakes long TD run, the defense had only 2 defensive linemen and nobody else on the weak side of the formation. I like the aggression, but I don’t get why five of your front seven need to be on one side of the formation. Anyway, hard to blame the defense too much when Wake had a short field the whole day and one TD was special teams. This defense gives up a lot of long drives and you think, okay…be a bend, no break defense. But then they rarely hold the other team to a field goal. So they are a bend and break defense.

Anyway, hard to complain about 9-1. Getting a win in Raleigh means the best season in 20 years. Getting three more wins down the stretch means the best season since ’81.