Just before kickoff in Raleigh last week, Dabo Swinney gathered his players around and told them what was at stake. Clemson had just learned Wake Forest went down at Virginia Tech with their second conference loss, meaning the Tigers had an opportunity to clinch the ACC’s Atlantic Division.
“You got an opportunity tonight, not next week, tonight to punch our ticket to Charlotte,” he said. “Tonight, right now, you are four quarters away from Charlotte. Here is what I want. Get your butt in that locker room, get them orange pants on and let’s go Tigers!”
Clemson put on the orange pants, which it wears when it can clinch a championship, and whipped NC State, 55-10, to win its fifth straight ACC Atlantic Division Title.