Clemson and Boston College will both look to return to the victory column after difficult losses last weekend when the two teams meet at noon today. Both lost home games as top 25 teams to teams from the state of Florida who were also ranked in the top 25.
The Tigers had the longer game as Miami (FL) downed Clemson 36-30 in triple overtime, the first overtime loss in Clemson history after five victories. It was the longest game in Clemson history in terms of overtime periods and in terms of time. The game took 4:10 to play, longer by 12 minutes than the double overtime game against Wake Forest in the season opener of 2004.
Boston College had a 17-14 lead in the second half, then dropped a 28-17 decision to Bobby Bowden and the Florida State Seminoles. It was the first ACC game for Boston College, who had been in the Big East Conference prior to moving to the Atlantic Coast.
Clemson has been playing a lot of close games of late. In fact, nine of the last 14 Clemson games have been decided by seven points or less and all nine have been decided by a play inside the last minute. That includes all three games so far this year. Jad Dean kicked a 44-yard field goal with two seconds left to beat Texas A&M. Reggie Merriweather raced 38 yards for a score with 2:58 left against Maryland, then the Clemson defense stopped the Maryland offense with 47 seconds remaining.
While Clemson has had nine games in the last two years decided by seven points or less, Boston College has had just three. A year ago Wake Forest beat the Eagles in Winston-Salem 17-14 and Pittsburgh defeated Boston College 20-17 in overtime. The only victory for Boston College by seven points or less in the last two years is a 24-23 win at Notre Dame last season.
Boston College has not had a game decided by 10 points or less yet this year. The Eagles of Tom O'Brien started he year with a 20-3 win at Brigham Young, then defeated Army in Boston 44-7. Then, Florida State took an 11-point decision in the third game of the year.
When you look at Clemson's stats for this year you can see why all three games have come down to the wire. Clemson has been outscored by the opposition by one point, 84-83, there is just a 17-yard total offense differential between Clemson and the opposition (1066-1049) in the three games, and both Clemson and the opposition have the same number of rushing first downs, 24-24.