THE ROAR: ACC out the Gates, Primetime, Where to Tune

ACC OUT THE GATES. Last week ended with the ACC expanding west-- this week begins with the league landing two solid punches against the SEC, most notably No. 8 Florida State’s dismantling of No. 5 LSU last night, 45-24, and North Carolina winning the border war against South Carolina 31-17 on Saturday night. Yes, Tennessee knocked off Virginia, but some people think UVA might go winless in Tony Elliott’s second season as head coach-- so that’s not a huge loss for the ACC by any means.

As for South Carolina, the Gamecock’s offensive line was horrendous, giving up nine sacks in the opener to a Tar Heel team that snagged just 17 sacks all last season. Sheesh. Back to the drawing board in Columbia-- and they better hurry as they take on No. 1 Georgia in two weeks after facing Furman this weekend.

On to the Noles, with the Seminoles winning, it sets up for a potentially huge game on September 23 in Death Valley I if both teams arrive undefeated. It would seem that ESPN’s College GameDay would likely be on the scene for an epic matchup between Top 10 teams.

I’ve talked a lot about Jordan Travis and his inconsistencies in the past-- and there were a few moments where the same poor decisions from the past almost caught up with him-- but they didn’t, and he was amazing. 

Travis accounted for five touchdowns, including three to Michigan State transfer Keon Coleman and a 44-yarder to South Carolina transfer Jaheim Bell. Bell also had a rushing touchdown in his FSU debut. Travis finished the game 23-31 for 342 yards, four TDs, and one interception. 

While portal players were a big part of FSU’s success-- a story to follow for Tiger fans-- one of the Seminole’s greatest players ever, Deion Sanders-- may have done even better than his alma mater with his work in the portal as you will see in the next section.

PRIMETIME. I’m not sure what the season will look like for Colorado, but their win over TCU was impressive. In an exciting season opener, the Buffaloes, led by head coach Deion Sanders, pulled off a stunning upset against the 17th-ranked TCU Horned Frogs. Despite being 21-point underdogs and finishing 1-11 last season, Colorado defeated TCU, who played for the national championship against Georgia last year, 45-42 on Saturday. 

So, how did Deion do it? The portal. Eighty-six new players joined the Buffalos this offseason-- 57 of whom arrived after their spring game.

Shedeur Sanders, Deion's son, was the standout performer on offense, throwing for 510 yards, a school record, and four touchdowns, completing 38 of 47 passes. Travis Hunter, a former five-star recruit who followed the coach and quarterback from Jackson State, was scintillating on offense and defense. Hunter had 11 catches for 119 yards and made a crucial interception near the end zone. He played over 120 snaps in the game.

This victory marks a memorable start to Coach Deion Sanders' tenure at Colorado and sets the stage for more eyeballs to follow the Buffaloes into their home opener against Nebraska this weekend.

WHERE TO TUNE. Tonight at 8:00 PM, Clemson and Duke open the season and ACC play for both teams. For the Tigers, this truly kicks off the Cade Klubnik Era as he makes his first career regular-season start for Clemson. 

A win tonight would make Clemson quarterbacks 10-2 in their regular season starting debuts since 2002, including wins by Charlie Whitehurst, Will Proctor, Cullen Harper, Kyle Parker, Tajh Boyd, Deshaun Watson, Kelly Bryant, Trevor Lawrence and DJ Uiagalelei. The wins by Whitehurst (2002) and Proctor (2005) were recorded against Duke.

You can watch the game on ESPN as Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek, and Tom Luginbill will be on the call.

If you want to listen on the Clemson Athletic Network Don Munson, Tim Bourret, and Reggie Merriweather will have you covered. The game is also available on Westwood One Sports with Mike Watts and Ryan Leaf giving the play-by-play.

SiriusXM subscribers can snag the game on Channel 133 or 193. 

SONG OF THE DAY. It’s game day, my friends! When I was a kid, I would listen to this album on the drive up to Tiger Town with my dad. Back then, I had the cassette for the car, but 15-20 years ago, I managed to land a vinyl copy that I keep in my studio.

 - ”Big Orange Fan - by Bobby Harden and Arleen Harden -

LISTEN. Take a moment to check out a recent episode of the show. Clemson Sports Talk can be heard worldwide on the iHeart Radio App or streamed online. Listen to Fox Sports Radio 1400 from 4-6 PM daily! Subscribe to our podcast if you enjoy the show!

OFF THE PATH. So long to the Son of a Son of a Sailor. 

Jimmy Buffett's journey through life was anything but ordinary, and his impact extended far beyond the boundaries of his iconic Margaritaville empire as the musician died Friday at the age of 76. I was fortunate enough to see Jimmy in concert; it was quite the show! 

While songs like “Margaritaville,” “It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere,” and "Cheeseburger in Paradise" are etched in the collective memory of fans who have swayed to his tunes with sand between their toes, Buffett's music transcended the confines of a genre. It became a soundtrack for a generation, a bridge to carefree days and tropical dreams. His melodies evoked the sensation of lounging in hammocks, feeling the ocean's breeze, and basking in the sun's warm embrace.

In the end, Jimmy Buffett embodied the timeless quest for happiness, the eternal search for our own piece of paradise. His music will continue to serenade us, and his legacy will forever remind us to live life with a smile, a song, and a margarita in hand.

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