Bottom Line Clemson won the game we didn’t beat ourselves

[OburgOrange]

All big games which is why I said ARGUABLY but this game you could say would've done more for the program then any of those games. The football program has been in the depths of hell for the last 15+ years and a win here would've had them ranked for the first time in 17 years and even in the top 15. With the remaining schedule and having the tiebreaker over Clemson they would've had a legit shot at being in the ACC Ttitle game.

Your first sentence. “Done more for the program than any of those games”.
All I need to know

 

[raf4488]

There were close to zero expectations coming into this game. If we had won, it would be similar to VPI 01. That was a great win, but not in the same ballpark as our best wins in program history

 

[Xanadu]

That was a darn good football team we played at their house. Clemson’s game plan was not that much different when Lawrence went out. They were always going to focus on the run and have the QB manage the ball. This is a legit SU team and we just didn’t have enough gas and had a few bad breaks. That is college football for you. We lost 54-0 two years ago at Death Valley. How anyone can sit there and complain about the lost opportunity is not paying attention to the big picture. SU has a top 25 team for the first time in five years of not seventeen years. We are looking at a perennial top 25 program from here on out given how we are trending.

 

[thejuice]

A regular season win over VT in 1998 is a bigger win then beating #3 at Clemson and being ranked for the first time in 17 years? OK

 

[Nicknack]

They made plays.
We didn’t choke. They wore us down and made the plays.
Can’t complain about the toughness of this team.
It is a top 25 team.

Me hate you, for making sense.

 

[Nicknack]

That was a darn good football team we played at their house. Clemson’s game plan was not that much different when Lawrence went out. They were always going to focus on the run and have the QB manage the ball. This is a legit SU team and we just didn’t have enough gas and had a few bad breaks. That is college football for you. We lost 54-0 two years ago at Death Valley. How anyone can sit there and complain about the lost opportunity is not paying attention to the big picture. SU has a top 25 team for the first time in five years of not seventeen years. We are looking at a perennial top 25 program from here on out given how we are trending.

Agree, man. I think the popular sentiment that Lawrence going out early ended up hurting us is laughable. With that stud qb in, they would have only been able to do more as our D got tired. They're just darn good (doesn't hurt that they have nfl talent littered throughout their lineup). We had our chances but whatever, we can still have an incredible season. This is also the kind of game to lure more talent to what Dino is building.

 

[Marty McFly]

I think the fact that we didn't execute and they did, is the point of the matter. Talent? scheme? nerves? Whatever the root cause, we lost when we were right there to ice the game. So- does losing like this really change perception of the public that much? At the end of the day, a loss is a loss (albeit to Clemson in Death valley) to the average joe. As many have said for a looong time around here, there are no moral victories in sports, need those W's when we can - especially - in a game like today. These program changing games don't come along but once or twice a generation. Disappointing to dream about what could have been as we were so close. Still have the potential for a great yr!

 

[20Plus]

They made plays.
We didn’t choke. They wore us down and made the plays.
Can’t complain about the toughness of this team.
It is a top 25 team.

I agree but the penalty on the Linemqn that was downfield took away the first down that would’ve won the game in

Syracuse beat themselves too

so you can be looked at both ways

 

[4the Dubbz]

When you know a team is going to run the ball and they still get 5-10+ yards every carry then that's bad football. Again they should've made the kid throw the ball to beat you

How do you make a team throw if you can’t stop the run? Again, they didn’t let them run.

 

[sufandu]

I was frustrated when we had to settle for fieldgoals after moving the ball so well on our first possession and then getting it back with such a short field for the second. I hoped it wouldn't come back ro haunt us and felt good about it at halftime. The offense did the defense no favors in the second half and we got worn down. Those extra 4-8 points sure would've been nice.

 

[Arangeman]

There were lots of plays were we had 8 in the box and just either missed the tackle or he was quicker. The LBs were just flat gassed since they spend the entire 2nd half on the field.

The TD drive to make it 23-20 we backed our linebackers off and used 2 high safeties. They scored in like a minute. Ensuing drives we got aggressive again but were gassed. That first TD drive was way too easy and scheme was as a part of the issue.

 

[Ish88888]

Does not matter what the spread was or that Clemson should've won we were up 10 in the 4th quarter and they had their 3rd string qb in we should've won that game. So yes we did choke it away, it was arguably the biggest game in program history and they let it slip thru their fingertips. They should've made him throw 2 td passes to beat us and not let them run down the field on us. The qb made some nice throws at the end but I don't think he would've thrown 2 td passes.

Spot on. The fact we didnt load the los and take a chance and go man on their wrs is confusing. Make the rookie put it in the air.

 

[Arangeman]

I was frustrated when we had to settle for fieldgoals after moving the ball so well on our first possession and then getting it back with such a short field for the second. I hoped it wouldn't come back ro haunt us and felt good about it at halftime. The offense did the defense no favors in the second half and we got worn down. Those extra 4-8 points sure would've been nice.

We played conservatively in those situations. Never took a shot. Risk averse. I was def worried it would come back to haunt us.

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

I'm not comfortable with that. Clearly Clemson had more talent, but when you find yourself up 23-13 with 13 minutes left, and knocked out there quarterback, you've got to make the plays to win that game. Dungey and the penalty blew that one possession. The Hof missed two chances to pin them deep. We gave up 75 yards in 2 minutes. They beat us, but we laid down too.

 

[Cusefan69]

Yep. They outgained us and had more than twice as many first downs. Our second half TD came from a fortunate break, but otherwise we didn't move the ball in the 3rd and 4th.

Defense played well, but you're going to wear down when the offense goes 3 and out and you're chasing a guy like Etienne around.

Agree and that Ettiene guy is no joke. Watch some tape on that guy. He runs low to the ground, is fast and is shifty. His tape reminds me of a poor man Barry Sanders.(I rewatched some of his game tapes the other day and good god Barry Sanders was filthy, I mean really I forgot how good that guy was). Clemson handed the ball off to a future NFL running back all game long and when not doing that they ran out the best defense we will see this year.

 

[FrancoPizza]

How do you make a team throw if you can’t stop the run?

My concern is that our run defense was a bit exposed. We all knew the 4-2-5 might be vulnerable. Really hope it’s just a case of the D being on the field too long because we knew it was coming and couldn’t stop it.

 

[raf4488]

My concern is that our run defense was a bit exposed. We all knew the 4-2-5 might be vulnerable. Really hope it’s just a case of the D being on the field too long because we knew it was coming and couldn’t stop it.

I wouldn't read too much into it. Yes, the defense was on the field too long, and Etienne is seriously special. He's going to be a star at the next level.

I'm gonna blame LSU for the loss for failing to keep him in state. Dabo's an insane recruiter

 

[raf4488]

A regular season win over VT in 1998 is a bigger win then beating #3 at Clemson and being ranked for the first time in 17 years? OK

We won that game on the very last play in probably the second best dome game behind WVU 87, and it won us a Big East title and got us to the Orange Bowl. Both teams were ranked and there were expectations going into the game. Winning today would've been a very pleasant surprise, but nobody was expecting a win or thinking about a conference title