Doeren: Wolfpack has 'nothing to lose' against Clemson
The members of the College Football Playoff committee might not hold Clemson in high regard, relegating the undefeated defending national champions to No. 5 in their first published rankings
But that's not the case with Dave Doeren.
The NC State coach described the Tigers earlier this week as a team with no weaknesses, which doesn't bode well for his Wolfpack when the teams meet in their annual Textile Bowl game on Saturday.
So how does a coach keep his players from getting discouraged before they ever take the field when they're a 32-point underdog for their own homecoming?
“I just told them you’ve got nothing to lose, just go as fast and as hard as you can," Doeren said Thursday. "We need to be a better football team, obviously, than we were the last time out. Being able to come home, have homecoming and an opportunity to play a great team, that's what it's all about ... having an opportunity to do something special."
The Wolfpack is coming off back-to-back losses to Boston College and Wake Forest in which its injury-riddled defense surrendered a combined 89 points.
Clemson on the other hand, leadss the ACC in both scoring offense (47.1 ppg) and defense (10.6 ppg), and has won its last three games -- against Florida State, Louisville and BC -- by an average of 39 points.
To have any shot at all, State is going to need to put together its best effort of the season and hope that the Tigers don't bring their "A" game with them to Carter-Finley Stadium.
The chances of that happening are slim thanks to memories of the last time coach Dabo Swinney brought his team to the Triangle.
An even greater motivating factor than that one-point close call at North Carolina on Sept. 29 could be the opportunity to make a statement to the CFP committee, which has undervalued Clemson because of its perceived weak strength of schedule.
“I’m sure it fires them up,” Doeren said, adding that he's "not going to be a part of that conversation.
"All the people in that room that make decisions, that's what they're there for," Doeren said. "All the teams that are playing to be in (the playoff), they're going to play as hard as they can. That's part of what comes with that."
While the Tigers have plenty of offensive firepower at their disposal, including 1,000-yard rusher Travis Etienne and receiver Tee Higgins, who is averaging over 20 yards per catch, Doeren is especially wary of quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
The sophomore threw for 308 yards and a touchdown against a healthy veteran secondary in leading Clemson to a 41-7 rout of the Wolfpack. Saturday, he'll face an injury-decimated unit dominated by freshmen and sophomores that struggled last week against Wake Forest.
"He's a great player," Doeren said of Lawrence. "Early in the season he threw some balls I'm sure he wishes he had back, but he's got a great release, great timing with his receivers, he gives them a chance to make plays and he's very calm."
