Destiny

First of all, my apologies for being so off base on the Wake prediction last week. I went into Death Valley fully anticipating a close match that could hinge on one play at the right time, ala 2006, turning the tide. But Clemson had other plans, I guess.

Cullen Harper took the field and dissected the Demon Deacons like a spoon searching for marshmallows in a bowl of Lucky Charms. Jamie Cumbie, Dorell Scott, and Tremaine Billie carved up the Wake front four like they wanted Thanksgiving dinner two weeks early. Ricky Sapp, Kourtnei Brown, and Phillip Merling took turns playing Whack-A-Mole with QB Riley Skinner all day long. Every time he tried to scoot or pop up at the far side of the line, one of those living mallets smashed him into the ground.

Wake's gameplan copied most of our opposition of late. Clog the line of scrimmage and shut down James Davis and C.J. Spiller. In other words, their strategy was to make Harper beat them through the air.

Oops.

Guess they forgot Cullen ain't Will Proctor (no offense to Proctor).

If this young man is not in the running for ACC Player of the Year by the time that conference play wraps up, a serious injustice will have occurred. Talk about coming out of nowhere and thrusting yourself into such a position as to unseat the bread & butter of this team, namely the dynamic duo of Thunder and Lightning.

What was once thought to be the be-all, end-all formula to defeating the Tigers has now become one of our greatest strengths. As I sat and watched Cullen systematically pick Wake's anemic pass defense like a grapevine, I kept waiting for the Deacons to, no pun intended, "Wake" up (okay, pun intended) and spread out to defend against the pass. But it never happened. Much to Cullen's delight, I'm sure, as he continued to find All-ACC candidate Aaron Kelly open on slants. Tyler Grisham had maybe his best outing. Rarely have I seen a wideout show the toughness and poise this Superman has.

Yes, I love the nicknames for players. Davis and Spiller, naturally, are Thunder and Lightning. Grisham is Superman. Aaron Kelly is Gumby. Rendrick Taylor is the Hulk. Jacoby Ford is the Flash (even injured, you couldn't even catch his shadow). Cullen is Rocky Balboa. Our boys on defense are the "Goons."

Sitting in the yawning shadows of the north gate, I could just feel the excitement rising steadily as the seconds ticked away on our surprising demolition of Wake. And at last, it was over. Another lopsided victory. One step closer to the ACC title.

And it all comes down to Saturday night. 7:45. Death Valley. The Fighting Tigers of Clemson University and the Eagles of Boston College square off for the right to take the reigns of the Atlantic Division and play for a conference crown in Jacksonville.

For two weeks, Clemson has held destiny in its hands. For two weeks our players have stepped up to the plate and done their job. For two weeks, we have shown that we can handle the pressure of being the hunted rather than the hunter.

Lose tomorrow night and none of that will matter. At least in the eyes of the media. Tiger fans are not ones to tolerate getting close so many times only to fall short, and the media monguls only like you as long as you're winning consistently. And make no mistake, this is as close as it gets short of the title game itself. If we let BC take it from us, we fall right back into the depths of memorable flash-in-the-pans. Remembered in the short-term, forgotten in the long run.

Anyone remember the 8-0 start to 2000? No? Oh yeah, we choked against Georgia Tech and Chris Weinke's FSU team demolished us in Tallahassee. No ACC title.

Remember the big finish of 2003? Certainly a magnificent ending that could have been sweeter had we exercised that potential earlier in the season when we had the chance. But we let NC State slip a 17-15 decision from our fingers. No ACC title.

Remember 2004 when we capped a four-game rally by beating Miami in the Orange Bowl (back when Miami was a powerhouse, before they bid a fond farewell to their historic home field by letting Virginia trample them 48-0)? Oh yeah, we lost to Duke the next week. But it didn't matter much because the damage was already done. No ACC title.

Remember the thrilling peaks of 2005? Back-to-back thrillers against Texas A&M and Maryland? Jad Dean's kicks? Reggie Merriwether's gutsy runs? The smackdowns we laid to NC State and FSU? No? That's right. Georgia Tech ripped one away from us in a one point defeat. BC clobbered us in the Valley, and we were fortunate to play overtime against them. No ACC title.

Remember the 7-1 start of 2006? Surely a confounding one-point loss to BC wouldn't derail what was shaping up to be a magical year with only a title game appearance as a logical ending. Sure did. The wheels came off on the heels of back-breakers versus Virginia Tech and Maryland. A sour ending in Nashville. And again, no ACC title.

Is this year different? Have we put the past behind us and are determined to play at our highest potential in the spotlight? Are we ready to seize destiny in our paws?

Commentator Scott Rhymer, in his monthly column on TigerNet, said it best when he pointed out that Saturday night is not about the 2006 team, 2003, or any team or season prior. It is not about ESPN College GameDay. It is not about Death Valley or the orange pants or Howard's Rock. It is not about the fans clad in a sea of solid orange. It is not about the assistant coaches, be they Koenning, Napier, or Spence. It is not about Tommy Bowden, Terry Don Phillips, or the Clemson athletic program.

What it is about is the players. For both teams. This is their game. Everything they have worked for, from the beginning of spring practice, agonizing weeks of three-a-days, ballgames, seasonal injuries, blood, sweat, tears, guts, will, determination, and heart. The coaches may instruct them, and the fans may cheer them on, and they may draw inspiration from the Rock or the britches. But in the end, they must put on the pads, take the field, and do what only they can do. All the spectators and good luck charms in the world won't get it done for them. The best coaching scheme in the books won't win a game. The players must go out and execute. It is theirs to win or lose.

For years, we Tiger fans have waited so impatiently for Clemson to reclaim its place among the elite of college football.

For years, that chance has eluded us like that annoying Whack-A-Mole who just keeps ducking back into the safety of his hole.

For years, the prize has been so close that we could just reach out and brush it with our fingertips.

For years, we have lacked that one extra step or one properly-run play to get the job done.

So again I ask...is this year different? Will our questions get answered? Will our cries finally cease on the wings of laser beams from Cullen Harper, or the driving force of Davis and Spiller, or the never-say-die attitude of Grisham, or the steady leg of Mark Bucholtz, that carries us from the Eagles' clutches, and into the cushion of ACC contender, with but the Gamecocks left to smite in their sinkhole of a stadium?

This Tiger fan believes. He risks heartbreak by doing so, but he believes just the same. That's why I will be in the Valley of Death at 7:45 tomorrow night, ready to yell at the top of my lungs for my team. Because tomorrow night is all about them.

Win or lose, it'll be a night to remember.

An evening of anticipation.

A date with destiny.

Go to it, Tigers. Reach out and grab destiny...

...And this time, don't let go.

FINAL SCORE: Clemson 31, Boston College 27

GO TIGERS!!!