As torrential rain threatens to derail Miami’s high-powered passing attack, Clemson’s elite defense looks to exploit the elements and secure a season-defining upset at Death Valley.
Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney could absolutely make life miserable for some in the press if he gets a signature win over No. 4 Miami at home just weeks after it seemed like his tenure with the program was going into the Atlantic Ocean after a 51-10 loss to LSU in Week 1.
Clemson had to deal with a weather delay before being curb-stomped by LSU. It's been a season of weather delays for the Tigers, and they could have another delay on Saturday when Miami comes into town.
Those rainy conditions could be a huge benefit to Clemson.
Bill Connelly of ESPN suggested that Clemson's defense, combined with the rain, could be a key factor in slowing down Miami's offense that has been powered by Darian Mensah early in the season.
Connelly noted that Clemson's defense has allowed only .8 points per drive since playing LSU, which ranks No. 7 in the country.
The rain will make it harder for Mensah to be as efficient as he was through the first three weeks, when he completed a crazy 88.7% of his passes for 1,211 yards, 14 touchdowns, and no interceptions.
Of course, the rain would certainly be a problem for freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds. Reynolds showed improvement in the second half of Clemson's win over North Carolina on Sept. 19. Still, he went just 14 of 22 passing for 106 yards and one interception in the Tigers' 24-10 win over California last week.
Through the first four games of the season, Tait has thrown for 521 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Miami will be the best defense Tait has faced all year, and Clemson could be trouble in the rain if the Hurricanes gain an early lead.
Miami is heavily favored to beat Clemson on Saturday. That shouldn't be a surprise. The Hurricanes were expected to be the best team in the ACC this year.
There is a real possibility that Miami will want to make a statement of its own against Clemson, trying to blow out the Tigers much like LSU did in the season opener. The Hurricanes are playing to boost their resume for the College Football Playoff, and style points will have meaning down the road.
For Clemson, it must do everything to avoid a blowout loss. A 10-2 Clemson team could wind up making the CFP, but two blowout losses might keep the Tigers out.
