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Wake Forest edges Clemson
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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A season already on the brink got pushed to the tipping point at BB&T Field Thursday night.
A vicious defense kept Clemson within striking range of No. 21 Wake Forest for over three quarters, but a key defensive lapse and a sputtering offense spelled their doom — and possibly the end of the Tigers' ACC title hopes.
The Demon Deacons (4-1, 2-1 ACC) used a crucial interception and a big fourth-quarter drive to pull out a 12-7 victory before 33,800 fans, dropping Clemson to 3-3, 1-2 in ACC play. The Tigers gained only 197 yards of total offense.
“Three (losses), it doesn’t look good, but we’re a fighting team,” said freshman right tackle Landon Walker. “We’re going to come back and not put our heads down and mope. We can only get better.”
Chalk it up as another damaging blow to a season which started with high hopes and a No. 9 preseason ranking but dissolved into turmoil following embarrassing losses to Alabama and Maryland in the first five games.
“You tell (your team) there’s 12 games, we’ve played six, we’re halfway through the season,” Clemson coach Tommy Bowden said. “Let’s go get healed up, circle the wagons and come out swinging. There’s not a lot you can tell them. You surely can’t somehow insinuate that the season’s over.”
And it happened after a number of key in-game offensive injuries. Starting guards Cory Lambert and Mason Cloy left with leg injuries, replaced by Jamarcus Grant and Bobby Hutchinson.
And star tailback C.J. Spiller left the game late in the second quarter with a leg injury; he had two carries for 10 yards. Senior wideout Tyler Grisham left the game in the second half with a foot injury, and junior wideout Jacoby Ford left following a hard fourth-quarter hit.
“We tried everything,” Bowden said. “We tried throwing deep to Aaron (Kelly), we threw deep to the tight end, we tried reverses, fake punts, C.J. outside, James (Davis) in the middle and couldn’t develop any continuity.”
Up 7-3 early in the fourth quarter, the Tigers survived a key Cullen Harper mistake and kept the lead. After Clemson used its final timeout to set up a third and four play from its own 19, Wake cornerback Alphonso Smith stepped in front of a Harper pass and returned it to the Tigers’ 15 with 13:34 left.
A Josh Adams run and two incomplete passes later, freshman kicker Shane Popham — playing due to a strained quad that sidelined Lou Groza candidate Sam Swank — nailed a 32-yard field goal that cut the lead to 7-6.
One gigantic third-down conversion kept the Demon Deacons alive. Wake faced third and 24 from its own 7, but Skinner connected with a wide-open D.J. Boldin for a 29-yard gain to the 36.
“They basically found an open area, that’s it,” said Clemson cornerback Chris Chancellor. “The quarterback put the ball on the money.”
That kept the drive going, and following a pair of third-down conversions, Skinner and Boldin hooked up for a seven-yard touchdown — Boldin eluded safety Michael Hamlin’s grasp at the 5 — giving the Deacs a 12-7 lead with 5:28 left after the two-point conversion failed.
“It was very disappointing. I guess they wanted it more than us,” Chancellor said. “They stepped up and made plays in key situations, and we just didn’t make plays like we’re supposed to.”
Neither did the offense.
“We’ve got to get back to work, find a way to run the ball,” Harper said. “We’ve got to make some more plays. We’ll get back to work and we’ll get it right.”
That drive was equally deflating for the offense.
“It’s unbelievable,” Walker said. “You come out and play four quarters, give everything you’ve got, and look up at the scoreboard and it’s 7-6. They have the ball and they’re about to score, and you know you have to score, too.”
Clemson probably felt lucky to be down only 3-0 at halftime following an offensively-inept first half.
The Tigers were 0-for-6 on third downs and 0-for-2 on fourth downs while being outgained 179-67 and holding the ball for only 12:02.
Wake Forest took its first drive to the Clemson 1, but a defensive stand and bad snap resulted in a missed field goal.
The Deacs’ second drive also went inside the Clemson 10, but Crezdon Butler’s touchdown-saving pass breakup on third and goal from the 5 forced another Popham try, this one good from 22 yards for a 3-0 Wake Forest lead with 1:23 left in the first quarter.
Popham later missed a 39-yard try midway through the second quarter.
Late in the third quarter, the Tigers’ offense finally got rolling.
A 35-yard Harper to Nelson Faerber connection started the drive, and Ford’s juggling catch finished a 10-yard touchdown, giving Clemson a 7-3 lead with seven seconds left in the third quarter.
On this night, it wouldn’t quite be enough.
“Some way, we’ve got to go out and execute something that can generate points, move the chains and change field position,” Bowden said. “All you’ve got to do is put one drive together.”
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Has Bowden NO shame.???...Does he know enough football to be mortified at what the Clemson Nation had to watch on national TV.?? Does Jim Barker.??
It seemed to me that the players cannot be faulted for this one..They fought the muddle and mis-management ALL THE WAY..Uncoached, undrilled, and remember, this was the FIRST game for this newly re-re-built O-Line. They did amazingly well for the lack of preparation time they had...It takes 3 seconds to pass or run..
Wandering around out there LOST, it's a wonder more weren't hurt.
That level of "coaching" has sunk to the level of criminal NEGLIGENCE.
I have never been so embarrassed for my alma mater.
I have defended Tommy Bowden saying that his problem was Spense the Offensive Coordinator. But after the Maryland game with 11 days to prepare for Wake. There's obviously a level of arrogance that Tommy has that he thinks what he is doing is right when everybody else can see something has to change. I did not understand why he did not make a change at QB position in 4th Qrt of Maryland game and why Korn was not put in the game after 4 possessions of very poor offense in the Wake game. Why not try a different hand of leadership on the field. Why continue to let this offense die. It is not that you want to hurt Harper, but he isn't winning. He is not providing the level of leadership in the huddle and on the field that is winning these games. Some talk show host have said Tommy can't fire Spense because he brought him there and it would look like he made a bad decision. This talk show host is just that because he would never make it as a coach. Look at Auburn, Tommy T fired his Offensive Coordinator. He said he hated to do it but he just wasn't getting it done. At this level of competition you have to respond with true leadership. Fix what is broken and put the hot hand in the key positions.
in response to 33dtb
I said after the Texas Tech debacle TB should have been charged with abuse and neglect for letting CW go through that fiasco. He didn't learn anything. He kept thinking his great schemes would outsmart teams with better coaching and physical lines.
It is time for TB and RS to go and for Clemson to start working on next season.
NEW bumper sticker for Clemson fans:
"AT LEAST WE BEAT THE CITADEL"
LOLOLOLOLOL
I say fire TB today and bring in an interim from nearby Pendelton.If they want a full house on Saturday against GT,and someone to instil toughness back into the program Danny would be that person.
ANYBODY GOT ANY FREE TICKETS TO GIVE AWAY BECAUSE I SURE WONT WASTE MY MONEY BUYING ANY. WHAT HAPPENING TO ACC CHAMPIONS THIS YEAR. MAYBE TOILET BOWL CHAMPIONS IS MORE LIKE IT
in response to trashrat76
INTERIM COACH FROM PENDLETON....YES!!!YES!!!YES!!!!!!
in response to GW
As an engineer, builder,project manager,manager, tenant, or landlord, I have NEVER seen or been involved in any successful endeavor that was headed up by an ARCHITECT..
Can we trust Jim Barker and Terry Don Phillips to pick our next coach.??????
When does the basketball season start ?
How do ya'll thing the Tigers will do against my Jackets next week? Clenson, under Bowden, has been
so bi-poler. I personally do NOT think this game will be an automatic win for us. Our team is conditioned really well. I hope it's 90 degrees in the valley Saturday after next.
After the Alabama game I told folks who still thought the Tigers would take the ACC 3 things...Maryland, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech.
I have also said for years that until Rob Spence and Brad Scott are gone Clemson will always be "the team that could...but can't". And if Tommy Bowden can't act on the obvious he needs to go as well.
Bobby Johnson!!!!!!!
in response to UseCommonSense
We could also use a Pogo-ism,we have met the enemy and he is us.
in response to 8000milesfromhome
I have said Bobby Johnson myself a time or two. Is he available? If so, then CU should talk with him soon. Now, how do we pay-out Bowden? The alumni may be broke due to the stock market decline and we would owe him what $10M, or more???
kind of odd...clemson used a slant to score...but not one slant was used during the game progression.
Clemson can score...somebody is not letting them...
Maybe we can get a comment from someone on the team? Any player think that Clen.son is withholding offense?
Does the buyout include terminology: goldbricker?
Tommy is not going anywhere unless AD can prove that tommy is goldbricking.
in response to moonbeam01us
the 6 talking heads did noting but talk bad about Clemson for the entire game. And rightfully so. The team is not prepared to play football. The play calling is horrible. The halftime adjustments are not existent. And from what I saw during the game on TV... Tommy just looked lost.
A fake punt on 4th and 1 when you have a back like James Davis? That's a garbage call. Simple power football. Put in a FULLBACK and smash it down their throat.
Tommy duped TDP and Barker into a new contract just before the Peach Bowl. Now Clemson will have to pay a larger buy out. Well I have a question for both of them......Just where do I send my contribution to help pay that buy out?
When the stands aren't even near capacity for Tiger football, does anyone think the management will get the point? I'm doubting it because after ten years and nothing to show for it but a few mediocre bowl wins, a Tidy Bowl invite might be in the future for 2008.
I vote to place Bowden and the other two bobbleheads, Spence and Scott, on a one-way banana boat to Cuba...what say ye?
Okay, lemme see here.....
1) Living in the shadows of a well-respected and highly successful father;
2) Notable success with a small-time program before moving to the big stage;
3) Large base of support due to his fundamental Christian beliefs;
4) Incomprehensible loyalty to seemingly incompetent subordinates;
5) Hugely popular (still) with many South Carolinians, and;
6) Just when things are looking up, the bottom drops out...
No doubt about it- Tommy Bowden is the George W. Bush of college football.
in response to saintstephen
item # 4: not so hard to figure, He can't run it Himself, and is threatened by anybody competent.
A good description: Bowden- the GWB of football!!
If Tommy and Bush are both still Popular in SC
You guys are Really NOT very Smart!
Hopefully more Progress has been made and
People in SC know BOTH were Big Mistakes!!
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