Clemson At Wake Forest: Five Keys To A Tigers Victory

Win the opener. Every season that is the first goal Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney puts in place for his football teams.

The Tigers are heading into Winston-Salem on Saturday night still looking to erase the bad taste left in their mouths from their season-ending loss to L.S.U. in last season's national title game.

With the Tigers having such an unusual offseason that was filled with uncertainty, the fact that Clemson is coming off of a loss to end last year is something that has gotten lost in the shuffle.

The No. 1 Tigers are more than a 30-point favorite over the Demon Deacons and if they are to accomplish their first goal of the season and win the opener, here are five keys to a Clemson victory.

1. Establish The Run: Wake Forest has one of the best pass rushers in the ACC in defensive end Carlos "Boogie" Basham Jr. The best way to neutralize him is to get Travis Etienne and that loaded stable of running backs going early on. Getting the running going early also draws in those linebackers, in turn opening up the passing game and allowing Trevor Lawrence to play pitch and catch with his young receivers.

2. Third-Down Defense: Wake Forest ran one of the fastest offenses in the country in 2019, averaging 81 plays per game, which was tops in the country. However, only two starters return from that offense and the offensive line is a huge area of concern for Wake. If the Deacs have any hope of making this a competitive game, they will need to control the clock with long, sustained drives. The Tigers defense has been one of the best in the country in third-down defense in recent seasons and that is a trend that needs to continue on Saturday night. Getting off the field means putting the ball in Trevor Lawrence's hands and when the Tigers do that, good things tend to happen.

3. Pass Protection: While Wake Forest might be replacing most of its offense from last season, that is not the case on the defensive side of the ball where the Demon Deacons return every starter in the front seven. That includes All-ACC defensive end Basham and linebackers Ryan Smenda and Ja'Cquez Williams, both of which are tackling machines. Protecting Trevor Lawrence is a must, and the four new starters along the Tigers offensive line must pass an early-season test on Saturday night.

4. Braden Galloway: It has been a while since the Tigers opened a season with a weapon like Galloway at the tight end position. Look for offensive coordinator Tony Elliott to get Galloway involved early in an effort to expose some potential mismatches and soften up the middle of the field.

5. Quick Start: The Tigers need to come out and take control of this one early. Grabbing a commanding lead early on will allow for the coaching staff to start the substitution process and there's nothing more valuable than in-game experience when trying to build depth. Allowing the Demon Deacons to hang around will only allow that inexperienced group on the offensive side to build some confidence and that's the last thing you want to do against a 32-point underdog.

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