THE ROAR: Malaise, Gut Punches, Fantasy Football

MALAISE. There isn’t enough lipstick to put on this pig. That was a brutal loss for the Tigers, especially given how similar it felt to the Orange Bowl matchup with Tennessee. In fact, I’m not sure there was a single moment in the game where I thought this team had something special. There was a malaise that’s uncommon in Tiger Town that seemed to be imitating in all facets of the team. 

Nothing felt normal. Nothing felt comfortable. Nothing felt routine. 

It didn’t feel like what Clemson fans have become accustomed to watching during this incredible run the Tigers have been on. The past two seasons were unusual by comparison. Monday night was downright disheartening. 

Cade Klubnik, reflecting on the game, observed, "We were putting drives together, we just lost to Clemson. At the end of the day, that’s what happened. The stuff that we were doing on our own. We’ve got to finish in the red zone. We were driving on them."

While Klubnik expressed optimism about bouncing back, the question looms: How will Clemson respond to this adversity? Will they rise to the occasion or crumble under the pressure?

“I think that it’s going to be historic. The way that we are about to respond. It’s exciting,” Klubnik noted. “I’m excited to live this story that they are going to be talking about for a long time. I’m excited about the next 14 games. I’m glad we get to bounce back and play in four days.”

Clearly, the players are determined to leave this defeat behind and hope to leave the lingering sense of malaise in Durham, ready to write a new, triumphant chapter in Clemson's storied history.

GUT PUNCHES. There isn't much more you can say about Clemson’s 28-7 loss at Duke– it was tough. As we noted after the game, there were lots of sloppy plays from the Tigers throughout a disappointing start to the 2023 season. 

But perhaps a little perspective is necessary-- the last time Clemson lost three of four games was back in the 2011 season. 

Clemson lost at NC State 37-13 during that stretch, then fell 34-13 at South Carolina. The Tigers won the ACC Championship 38-10 over Virginia Tech and then got hammered by West Virginia 70-33 in the Orange Bowl.

Strangely, the WVU game turned on a similar play to Mafah's fumble that was scooped up and returned to the 33-yard line last night. Back then, and on Monday, I said the same thing: ‘That will be tough to recover from’-- essentially a 14-point swing in a moment.

Obviously, at Duke, the Blue Devils had to drive down to cash in their huge play, but that was when you knew Clemson was likely coming up short. It was a gut punch. If Mafah gets in the end zone, the Tigers probably (not sure about the XP) take a 14-13 lead in the fourth quarter and have a chance to get out of Durham with a win-- by the skin of their teeth.

Reflecting on the West Virginia game, it feels like it happened just yesterday. At the time, Tiger fans were left feeling embarrassed and disappointed. It's astonishing to consider that 4,261 days separated those two events. To put it into perspective, in that span of time, my daughter was born and has since entered middle school. She had never witnessed the Tigers experiencing such a slump, with three losses in four games, until this past Monday. It’s unreal and adds some perspective.

As bad as it feels to be in this situation, it’s been a long time. The ride to multiple national titles and a six-year run in the College Football Playoff created countless memories you will never forget. None of that makes losing to Duke any easier, but think about all the fans around the country who would love to have the run Clemson has had. Enjoy it-- the ups and the downs. 

FANTASY FOOTBALL. Well, my 14-year-old son wanted to play fantasy football for the first time, so we set up a small league to give it a go. With the NFL kicking off on Thursday, I felt pressure to get the draft going, and we pulled it off last night.

Let’s say I went with a bit of a Clemson theme-- I may not win a game, but I’ll have fun rooting the guys on each Sunday! 

With just four teams in our league, we all got the pick of the litter-- heck, I even added the Dolphins' defense to get some points from Christian Wilkins. I’ll keep you all updated as the season rolls along. 

SONG OF THE DAY. After that loss in Durham, there’s only one song to get you through the day.

 - ”Tomorrow”- by Aileen Quinn -

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. How many hours did you spend playing GoldenEye 007 in 1997 and 1998? If you were a gamer, probably a ton. It was a staple around our apartment back in the day.

Now, I’m not a just gamer on phones, but it sounds like Apple Arcade will soon be adding a new game (Sept. 29) called Cypher 007 and you will be able to compete with other players from around the world. According to reports, it will NOT have ads or microtransactions, which is a win for players.

According to iMore.com:

“Cypher 007 will take the player through moments celebrating 60 years of James Bond. Blofeld, the head of Spectre, has managed to contact James Bond and is using the Cypher project in an attempt to brainwash him into becoming a double agent. Combining top-down action with stealth, you must infiltrate areas and gather intel to take Blofeld down. Though there are multiplayer leaderboards to count your score, it is a single-player title.”

Sounds like I might at least give it a whirl! 

See y’all tomorrow! 

Are you a die-hard Clemson Tigers fan? Are you constantly searching for the latest news, updates, and analysis on your favorite team? Look no further than ClemsonSportsTalk.com! With our comprehensive coverage, exclusive interviews, and in-depth articles, we bring you all the inside information you need to stay on top of the game. And here's the best part: for a limited time, you can start your membership for just $1.00! That's right, gain access to our premium content, join our vibrant community of fellow fans. Don't miss out on this amazing offer—sign up today and become a true Clemson insider at ClemsonSportsTalk.com!

JUST ARRIVED! : Clemson Tigers Nike Unisex Zoom Pegasus 40 Shoe