Clemson Football Hits DEFCON 1

So is it time – noting the fan boards, call-in shows and newspaper columnist headlines - to quote that noted philosopher Steve Taneyhill, as the dust settles from Clemson’s destruction in the Georgia Dome against Alabama?

“It’s time to panic.”

Let’s add up the Clemson misery index from the 34-10 loss to Alabama:

- Zero yards rushing

- Only a second quarter field goal and a magical C.J. Spiller kickoff return TD on the scoreboard

- A 24-point loss for the preseason ACC favorite to what is projected to be a middle of the pack team from the SEC in rebuilding mode (Which is apparently accelerated under Nick Saban.)

- Worse opening day margin of defeat in five years since Georgia – another SEC team – blanked the Tigers 30-0 in Death Valley.

And then there are these day after headlines:

“Brutal loss confirms weakness of the ACC” – The State

“ACC should stick to basketball” – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Physical Tide washes away Tigers” – ESPN.com

I could toss out some advice from The Mayo Clinic on positive thinking and their stress management skills:

That 2003 Clemson season that started with the above listed shutout to Georgia and later featured a 45-17 loss at Wake Forest. However, it ended with Tiger victories over top ten-ranked Florida State and Tennessee and a 9-3 record for the Chick-fil-A Bowl champions.

I didn’t think that would work, but actually it’s not time to panic.

So let’s take our hands off the missile keys and wait just a little while before we turn them simultaneously.

There are 11 games to go and being the class of the ACC (the ultimate goal) is squarely within Clemson’s reach. I present the following evidence:

East Carolina 27 Virginia Tech 22
USC 34 N.C. State 0
Southern Cal 52 Virginia 7
Maryland 14 Delaware 7
North Carolina 35 McNeese State 27

But it’s going to be a long road to October for the Tigers, who will have to wait until then to get another significant at-bat, after basically striking out on three pitches to the Crimson Tide in their first plate appearance.

Clemson should be 4-1 by the time they play at Wake Forest on October 9. Even with what happened in Atlanta, I think the Tigers should be able to handle The Citadel, N.C. State, S.C. State and Maryland at Death Valley.

But signature wins are what defines seasons and Tommy Bowden and his team are on the clock now to get ready for their next prime time showcase in Winston-Salem.