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From our North Carolina site at Rivals:
An ACC championship is on the line Saturday night when No. 23 North Carolina takes on No. 9 Clemson at bank of America Stadium.
For the Tar Heels, it’s a chance to land the program’s first league title in 42 years, and for the Tigers, it’s a chance to reclaim what has essentially been theirs for the last decade.
The teams faced each other the only other time UNC reached the title game, with Clemson pulling out a 45-37 thriller that came down to a controversial onside kick by UNC in 2015.
The Tigers are also coming off a loss, falling at home to rival South Carolina.
Carolina is 9-3 overall and finished 6-2 in the ACC, Clemson is 10-2 and finished 8-0.
The game kicks at 8 PM and will air on ABC.
Only 16 teams have allowed more sacks than UNC, of which quite a few have been charged elsewhere from the offensive line. Clemson, on the other hand, ranks No. 14 nationally having recorded 36 sacks, and has also been credited with 153 pressures.
This is without a doubt the most important aspect of the game for North Carolina. If it doesn’t protect Drake Maye, and he doesn’t get happy feet too early, the Heels have a chance at springing the upset.
What it also does is allow safeties to play wider, thus the Wolfpack was more effective at challenging UNC’s passing game to the sidelines. Three times Antoine Green and Josh Downs made sensational catches along the sideline, but they were just out of bounds. The safeties forced those plays.
The expectation is Clemson will follow a similar approach in trying to limit Maye on Saturday night.
So, Downs, Green, J.J. Jones and the tight ends must find grass and make themselves available to Maye. Wake Forest moved the ball through the air against Clemson, and so can Carolina. But not if the pass protection is lacking and the receivers don’t find grass.
Carolina’s receivers have been charged with four drops over the last two games, but the number could and should be higher by at least a few more. In this big a game, drops will kill drives.
UNC was 9-for-34 on third downs the last two weeks, and could be facing an even stingier defense Saturday night. Certainly, it’s more talented. So, drops could stymie drives, and also make Maye less confident in his guys and possibly pull the ball out on RPOs and either run or keep it with the running back. And that won’t get Carolina a victory.
To beat Clemson, Maye must have a big passing game.
UNC is ranked No. 94 having allowed 78 tackles for a loss of yardage (TFLs), while Clemson is ranked No. 6 while racking up 96 TFLs on the season.
UNC must protect Drake Maye, but it cannot also get obliterated at the line of scrimmage, and TFL numbers are one important indicator of how a team does in that respect.
UNC has been prone to giving up chunk plays and catastrophics, and the reality is DJU is only 21-for-62 (33.9 percent) with 660 yards, seven TDs and 3 INTs on passes thrown 20 or more yards downfield. By contrast, UNC QB Drake Maye is 39-for-73 (53.4 percent) with 1,215 yards, 14 TDs, and three INTs on the same throws.
So, not only can UNC have success keeping Clemson from big gains through its passing attack, but picking off Uiagalelei multiple times could be game-deciding.
From our North Carolina site at Rivals:
5 Keys For UNC To Defeat Clemson
By: Andrew Jones - TarheelIllustratedAn ACC championship is on the line Saturday night when No. 23 North Carolina takes on No. 9 Clemson at bank of America Stadium.
For the Tar Heels, it’s a chance to land the program’s first league title in 42 years, and for the Tigers, it’s a chance to reclaim what has essentially been theirs for the last decade.
The teams faced each other the only other time UNC reached the title game, with Clemson pulling out a 45-37 thriller that came down to a controversial onside kick by UNC in 2015.
The Tigers are also coming off a loss, falling at home to rival South Carolina.
Carolina is 9-3 overall and finished 6-2 in the ACC, Clemson is 10-2 and finished 8-0.
The game kicks at 8 PM and will air on ABC.
Pass Pro
UNC has allowed 28 sacks in its last seven games, and has given up 34 on the season. Once considered a major improvement, this is again a huge issue, and having to deal with Clemson’s front isn’t exactly a recipe to get well there. But it can be done and must be done if the Tar Heels are going to win the ACC title.Only 16 teams have allowed more sacks than UNC, of which quite a few have been charged elsewhere from the offensive line. Clemson, on the other hand, ranks No. 14 nationally having recorded 36 sacks, and has also been credited with 153 pressures.
This is without a doubt the most important aspect of the game for North Carolina. If it doesn’t protect Drake Maye, and he doesn’t get happy feet too early, the Heels have a chance at springing the upset.
Finding Grass
NC State dropped eight in coverage when it wasn’t blitzing last Friday. Maye said it himself following the 30-27 defeat, that if they drop eight and with four running routes, ‘you do the math.”What it also does is allow safeties to play wider, thus the Wolfpack was more effective at challenging UNC’s passing game to the sidelines. Three times Antoine Green and Josh Downs made sensational catches along the sideline, but they were just out of bounds. The safeties forced those plays.
The expectation is Clemson will follow a similar approach in trying to limit Maye on Saturday night.
So, Downs, Green, J.J. Jones and the tight ends must find grass and make themselves available to Maye. Wake Forest moved the ball through the air against Clemson, and so can Carolina. But not if the pass protection is lacking and the receivers don’t find grass.
No Drops
Drops haven’t been a huge problem for the Tar Heels, as they have just 19 on the campaign, but it has flared up some over the last two weeks, and in a game like this, when moving the chains is paramount to success, the Heels must be sure-handed.Carolina’s receivers have been charged with four drops over the last two games, but the number could and should be higher by at least a few more. In this big a game, drops will kill drives.
UNC was 9-for-34 on third downs the last two weeks, and could be facing an even stingier defense Saturday night. Certainly, it’s more talented. So, drops could stymie drives, and also make Maye less confident in his guys and possibly pull the ball out on RPOs and either run or keep it with the running back. And that won’t get Carolina a victory.
To beat Clemson, Maye must have a big passing game.
Net Loss Plays
This one is rather simple, and why it makes sense to suggest this game could well come down to what happens in the trenches.UNC is ranked No. 94 having allowed 78 tackles for a loss of yardage (TFLs), while Clemson is ranked No. 6 while racking up 96 TFLs on the season.
UNC must protect Drake Maye, but it cannot also get obliterated at the line of scrimmage, and TFL numbers are one important indicator of how a team does in that respect.
Pick/Throw Off DJU
The idea that Clemson QB DJ Uiagalelei throws interceptions all the time isn’t exactly accurate. Last season, he threw nine TD passes and 10 interceptions, but this fall he has passed for 22 scores while being picked seven times. He has been better, much better, but still doesn’t take the top off of defenses much.UNC has been prone to giving up chunk plays and catastrophics, and the reality is DJU is only 21-for-62 (33.9 percent) with 660 yards, seven TDs and 3 INTs on passes thrown 20 or more yards downfield. By contrast, UNC QB Drake Maye is 39-for-73 (53.4 percent) with 1,215 yards, 14 TDs, and three INTs on the same throws.
So, not only can UNC have success keeping Clemson from big gains through its passing attack, but picking off Uiagalelei multiple times could be game-deciding.
