ACC Football

Clemson Tigers tight end Braden Galloway maintained his innocence in his first public comments since he was suspended for a year for a positive drug test before last season's College Football Playoff. 

Galloway, defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and offensive lineman Zach Giella were suspended for the playoff games against Notre Dame and Alabama for testing positive for ostarine. The former said he didn't know he did anything wrong, per Andrea Adelson of ESPN.com:

"I know I did nothing wrong, so no matter what media outlets say, I know I did nothing intentionally that put that in my system and I've taken probably 15-20 drug tests since the one I failed and haven't failed any other. And they've been drug-tested by the same company the NCAA uses. So I know I've done nothing wrong. I really just put my faith in God every time there's a drug test. I just hope and pray that nothing crazy happens like this again. I don't wish this on any player. There's nothing you can do about it. They want you to tell them how it got in your system, and if you can't tell them that, they can't really do anything about it."

Adelson explained that ostarine is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration but has been used in some supplements without being listed on the label in some cases.

Galloway arrived at Clemson as a 3-star recruit in the class of 2018, per 247Sports' composite rankings, and tallied five catches for 52 yards and a touchdown in his freshman campaign. He has spent this season on the scout team but is eligible to return for Saturday's CFP showdown against Ohio State.

It is a massive game to return to given that a spot in the national title game will be on the line between arguably the two most talented teams in the country. The Buckeyes and Tigers have steamrolled almost every opponent all season and will square off in one of the most highly anticipated games of the year.

Galloway will have a chance to make a difference this time around after watching his teammates win a championship last season.

Clemson Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence was not among the four finalists for the 2019 Heisman Trophy, but the sophomore star isn't letting that exclusion bother him. 

He has his sights set on the ultimate prize.

As he prepares for the 2019-20 College Football Playoff, Lawrence let it be known that he values team success more than any individual award, per Grace Raynor of The Athletic:

"You can't argue anything those other guys have done, so for me to say I should've been there instead of them is diminishing what they've done. I believe I'm one of the best players in college football. My play will speak for itself. I don't really have to worry about any awards. I think winning the national championship says a lot more than those."

And thus far, he has taken care of business in that regard.

Lawrence is 24-0 as a starter at Clemson, leading the team to a national championship as a true freshman last season. This year, he has led the Tigers to a 13-0 record and another College Football Playoff berth.

After a sensational freshman campaign, Lawrence entered the 2019 season as the Heisman Trophy front-runner. Though he did not lose a game during the regular season, the star passer was scrutinized for a relatively pedestrian performance.

He completed 68.8 percent of his passes for 3,172 yards, 34 touchdowns and eight interceptions. While those numbers were more than respectable, they did not earn him a trip to New York earlier this month.

Instead, LSU quarterback Joe Burrow (who won the award by a record margin), Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields and defensive lineman Chase Young and Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts were named Heisman finalists. Clemson was the only CFP team to not have a representative.

Lawrence noted that each of the finalists were deserving of the honor. Rather than downplay any of his peers, he will let his play do the talking.

Lawrence isn't alone in being overlooked, though. Clemson, which is riding a 28-game winning streak, has not been given its due respect as the reigning champs all season. Now, Lawrence and Co. are ready to send a message to the football world.

"To me, I live for games like this. I love playing in these big games where everyone's watching," Lawrence said, per Raynor. "All year the narrative has been we haven't played anyone, but now we get to play one of the best teams and really show what we can do."

Lawrence added that last year's CFB experience has proven valuable, as he "kind of know what’s going on more" this time around. That could loom large as he prepares to face an Ohio State squad that is making its first CFP appearance since 2016.

Clemson has been one of college football's best teams in recent years, but that success carries a high cost. 

According to Manie Robinson of the Greenville News (via USA Today), the Tigers have spent a total of $19 million in expenses over the last four years for their College Football Playoff runs.

These expenses include a wide range of costs, including transportation, lodging, meals, tickets and entertainment. The athletics department pays for charter flights for the players, band travel and performance fees as well as game tickets for families and guests.

In January 2016 alone, Clemson paid $1.1 million for tickets for the school's first appearance in the CFP National Championship Game, a loss to Alabama. The Tigers returned to the title game two more times and beat the Crimson Tide in January 2017 and 2019.

Altogether, the squad has reached the national semifinals in each of the last four years, playing seven total games. 

While the titles have certainly helped generate revenue for the school, it has also led to heavy expenses for the athletic program. The school spent $5.3 million for the playoff during the 2015 season, $4.6 million in 2016, $2.2 million in 2017 and $6.9 million in 2018, per Robinson.

The College Football Playoff does provide funds to each participating school to offset expenses, totaling around $2 million each year. The ACC also provided a stipend to Clemson, totaling close to $500,000 for the 2016 Fiesta Bowl.

With the Tigers heading to the Fiesta Bowl this season for a semifinal matchup against Ohio State, it seems as though the spending is far from finished.

Highly touted cornerback Fred Davis II officially signed his letter of intent with Clemson on Wednesday. 

Davis ranks 26th overall in the 2020 recruiting class, and he's the No. 3 cornerback in the country, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He's also the fourth-best player in the state of Florida.

He committed to Clemson in April.

I made sacrifices, I’ve been balling ever since...

New Beginnings. 🐅#ALLIN pic.twitter.com/p4Nzpdsk7O

— FD2 (@__FredDavis) April 9, 2019

His commitment was part of a sustained run of success on the recruiting trail for the Tigers, per Bleacher Report's David Kenyon:

"Over a 28-day span from April 8 to May 5, the Tigers averaged one 5-star pledge per week―a pretty decent rate. Cornerback Fred Davis II kicked off the streak, followed by defensive lineman Bryan Bresee, running back Demarkcus Bowman and quarterback DJ Uiagalelei. Clemson also added RJ Mickens―the No. 1 safety in this cycle―two days before Davis' commitment."

All told, Clemson sits first in 247Sports' composite team rankings for 2020.

According to MaxPreps, Davis finished his junior season at Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville, Florida, with 48 total tackles, one interception and 12 passes defended. In December, USA Today named Davis to the first team on its All-USA Florida squad.

At 6'2" and 177 lbs., Davis has great size for his position, and he possesses impressive physical tools. He was timed at 4.30 seconds in the 20-yard shuttle while hitting 36.1 inches with his vertical jump, per ESPN.com.

Davis will obviously face an adjustment when he reaches the next level, but he's an instinctual defender who's well-suited to excel in man coverage. Davis' tackling ability stands out as well. He makes sure to keep the ball-carrier in front of him without trying to make highlight-reel hits.

A.J. Terrell is the Tigers' only draft-eligible cornerback, and the junior is in a good position to make the jump if he wants to forgo his final season. Bleacher Report's Matt Miller mocked Terrell to the Denver Broncos in the second round with the 42nd overall pick in December.

Otherwise, the Tigers should be set for the most part at corner.

Derion Kendrick will at least be locked in at one of the starting spots, which leaves Mario Goodrich and Sheridan Jones as the most likely candidates to replace Terrell should he leave.

That would still leave Davis available to help the secondary in a limited role as a true freshman in 2020.

Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley is close to finalizing a deal with Boston College to be its next head football coach, per Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports.

Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic confirmed the news.

Hafley, 40, is in his first year as Ohio State's co-DC. The Buckeyes defense has been dominant under his watch, allowing just 12.5 points per game. That mark ranks third-best in Division I-FCS.

Hafley was a secondary coach at numerous stops prior to his Ohio State tenure, including the San Francisco 49ers from 2016-2018. He's been coaching college or pro ball since 2001, when he graduated from Siena College. He played wide receiver for the Saints from 1997-2000.

Hafley has never been a head coach at any level, but his track record at Ohio State speaks for itself after the 13-0 Buckeyes won the Big Ten and rolled into the College Football Playoff as a No. 2 seed.

He will replace Steve Addazio, who was fired after going 44-44 from 2013-2019. The Eagles went 7-6 in four of his seven seasons and 6-6 last year. The Eagles are headed to the Birmingham Bowl under interim head coach Rich Gunnell. Addazio is now Colorado State's head coach.

Hafley is tasked with guiding the Eagles to past glory days, with one period being a four-year stretch from 2004-2007 when they finished 21st or higher in the final Associated Press poll.

The 2007 team led by quarterback Matt Ryan posted the high-water mark with an 11-3 record and a No. 10 spot in the AP poll. The Eagles started that season 8-0 and reached No. 2 in November.

BC's best all-time result was after the 1984 season, when Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie guided the Eagles to a Cotton Bowl victory and a No. 5 AP ranking.

The door is open for BC (or any other ACC team not named Clemson) to achieve a greater level of success. The conference has fallen on hard times outside the perennial national powerhouse Tigers, and there's a chance for someone to be the best of the rest on a consistent basis until the Tigers' seemingly impenetrable dynasty ends someday.

UVA was the only other ACC team to finish in the top 25 of the College Football Playoff rankings outside Clemson, going 9-4 and ending at 24th. No other ACC team won more than eight games.

BC's first game next season will be on Saturday, September 5, 2020, against an old rival in Division-I FCS Holy Cross, which won the Patriot League.

No. 3 Clemson will roll into the College Football Playoff field after defeating No. 23 Virginia 62-17 in the ACC Championship Game on Saturday.

Clemson scored 24 unanswered points in the first half to turn a 7-7 tie into a 31-7 halftime lead. Tee Higgins caught two of his three touchdowns before halftime, and Travis Etienne and Justyn Ross each scored once.

The 31 first-half points set a new ACC Championship Game record:

Clemson set an ACC championship game record with 3️⃣1️⃣ points in the first half❗#ALLIN | #ACCFCG pic.twitter.com/0dNzAFEZxC

— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) December 8, 2019

UVA opened the second half with an eight-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Perkins to Terrell Jana, but Clemson immediately responded with Higgins' third score and never looked back en route to the 45-point win.

The Tigers outgained the Cavaliers 619-387, with Higgins catching nine passes for 182 yards. He also found himself in great company following the third TD, per ESPN Stats & Info.

Clemson’s Tee Higgins has set an ACC Championship Game record with 3 TD receptions.

Higgins now has 27 career TD receptions at Clemson, tying DeAndre Hopkins and Sammy Watkins for the most in program history. pic.twitter.com/weWoViUeVg

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 8, 2019

Etienne enjoyed an efficient night with 14 carries for 114 yards and a touchdown.

Hasise Dubois paced the UVA offense with 10 receptions and 130 yards.

The Tigers have won 28 straight games dating to Week 1 of the 2018 season. The defending national champions will head to the CFP for the fifth straight year following the win at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Clemson is also the ACC champion for the fifth straight season and a conference-record 19th time overall.

UVA will enter bowl season with a 9-4 record. The Cavaliers had won four straight.

      

Notable Performances

UVA QB Bryce Perkins: 27-of-43, 266 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT; 17 carries, 58 yards

UVA WR Hasise Dubois: 10 catches, 130 yards, 1 TD

UVA WR Terrell Jana: 6 catches, 62 yards, 1 TD

Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence: 16-of-22, 302 passing yards, 4 TD

Clemson RB Travis Etienne: 14 carries, 114 yards, 1 TD

Clemson WR Tee Higgins: 9 catches, 182 yards, 3 TD

         

Clemson Ready to Take on CFP Challenge

After Clemson closed the regular season with a 38-3 win over South Carolina, Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney went on an impassioned rant about a variety of things, namely a perceived bias against his team due to playing in the weak ACC.

"We've got to go 30-0," Swinney said facetiously, per ESPN's Chris Low. "We ain't got no choice because we don't play nobody."

The sentiments continued into ACC Championship week in a Saturday press conference.

"People should spend more on who we are and not on who we so-call play," Swinney added. "I could understand if we were a new kid on the block, but we've been around here for a long time."

Swinney may have an argument after another easy win.

Clemson has won all but two of its games by 31 or more points. The Tigers have outscored their opponents by an average of 35.9 points.

After a close 21-20 win over North Carolina, Clemson has outscored its rivals 415-82. The Tigers ranked fourth in points per game and first in scoring defense entering Saturday.

Yes, the ACC is the weakest Power Five conference, and it isn't really close. No ACC team was ever higher than 19th in the Associated Press poll all year outside Clemson.

But Clemson's sheer dominance over its opponents has to be taken into account.

It happened once again Saturday, with the Tigers essentially putting this one away in the second quarter.

Etienne could not be stopped en route to another 100-yard day.

The Lawrence-Higgins connection felt like an easy pitch-and-catch. It helps when a wideout can literally go horizontal and make tiptoe sideline catches all at once:

PASS COMPLETE 😤#ALLIN | #ACCFCG pic.twitter.com/QEznD7EEej

— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) December 8, 2019

The defense wasn't invincible with the Perkins-Dubois connection doing damage, but Clemson largely held the UVA attack at bay otherwise.

When it was over, Clemson crushed the 29-point spread set by Caesars Sportsbook.

The Tigers have won 13 games this year despite losing three defensive linemen (Christian Wilkins, Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence) who were picked in the top 17 of this year's NFL draft. And they've done so in dominant fashion outside one blip on the radar in North Carolina.

Clemson's strength of schedule may be weak, but every game hasn't been a carbon copy of the UNC contest. Rather, the matchups mostly resemble the ACC title game, where the Clemson ground and aerial attacks leave no doubt about the result by the end of the third quarter.

The Tigers are headed to the College Football Playoff, where their next opponent is guaranteed to be the best they face all year. We'll find out on the field whether Clemson is on par with the rest of the country's best.

But the safer bet is believing in Clemson despite its opponents. Many of the players who were on the 2018 team that steamrolled its way to a 15-0 mark and an emphatic national title win over Alabama are still around.

"All I can tell you is that we're 10-1 against the SEC in our last 11," Swinney said last Saturday. "We've won 115 games this decade. So had Ohio State. So had Alabama. We've played both of them [and won the last time they played Alabama and the last time they played Ohio State]. Our program is what people don't focus on. Virginia...they would be 9-3 in any league."

In sum, Clemson looks ready for the challenge of winning its second straight title and third in four years.

           

What's Next?

Clemson will find out its CFP semifinal opponent at noon ET Sunday, when ESPN reveals the four-team field. Virginia will find out its bowl destination and opponent Sunday as well.

Florida State University has agreed to a deal with Memphis head football coach Mike Norvell to lead the Seminoles, according to ESPN's Chris Low.

FSU has not confirmed the news but said in a statement that it would introduce its next coach at noon ET on Sunday in a press conference.

Norvell will replace Willie Taggart, who was fired after a 4-5 start this season. Taggart posted a record of just 9-12 in parts of two seasons with the Seminoles, and in 2018 they failed to qualify for a bowl game for the first time since 1981.

The 38-year-old Norvell was hugely successful in four seasons as the head coach at Memphis. He led the Tigers to at least eight wins in each of his four years at the helm, and they reached the AAC Championship Game in each of the past three campaigns.

This season was Norvell's most successful one as a head coach, as he led the Tigers to a 12-1 record and a conference championship.

Memphis won at least nine games in each of the two seasons before Norvell took over, but before that, the Tigers had just two seasons with eight-plus wins (2003 and 2004) since going 8-3 in 1973.

Norvell brought a high-octane offensive attack to Memphis; the Tigers ranked 15th, second, seventh and eighth in the nation in scoring in his four years as head coach.

The Irving, Texas, native was a standout wide receiver at Central Arkansas before going on to coach at Central Arkansas, Tulsa, Pittsburgh and Arizona State. Norvell was the passing game coordinator at Tulsa, co-offensive coordinator at Pitt and offensive coordinator at ASU.

Over the past three seasons, the Seminoles have struggled offensively, ranking 71st, 113th and 67th in the nation in scoring.

Norvell is the type of offensive mind who can potentially turn the Seminoles' misfortunes around on that side of the ball, and there will be a great deal of pressure on him to do so.

Norvell will be Florida State's third different permanent head coach in four seasons, and the Seminoles can ill afford to fall further away from their longtime status as an elite program.

FSU is now six years removed from its last national championship and three years removed from its last 10-win season, but there is hope for a return to that status with Norvell in the fold.

The Florida State Seminoles reportedly found a "leading candidate" to become their next head football coach.

According to Mark Schlabach and Adam Rittenberg of ESPN.com, Memphis head coach Mike Norvell is in that position after succeeding with the Tigers the past four seasons. Memphis is 11-1 in 2019 and will play the Cincinnati Bearcats in Saturday's American Athletic Conference championship game.

It is the team's third straight conference title game under his direction.

Norvell has a 37-15 record with Memphis and has finished with double-digit wins in two of his four campaigns. For perspective, the Tigers won less than eight games every season but two from 1974 through 2013.

Schlabach and Rittenberg called him "one of the most respected offensive minds in college football" and pointed to the fact the Tigers scored 30 or more points in 43 of the 53 games with him on the sidelines.

Florida State could use a boost like that as a blue-blood program that has fallen on hard times of late.

The Seminoles fired Willie Taggart nine games into the campaign and finished 6-6 on the year. They lost in embarrassing fashion to archrivals Florida (40-17) and Miami (27-10) and have fallen far behind Clemson as the powerhouse of the conference.

Florida State also went 5-7 last year under Taggart and missed a bowl game for the first time since 1981, which was before it joined the ACC.

The program is not far removed from a stretch under Jimbo Fisher when it won double-digit games in six of seven seasons, as well as a national championship, from 2010 through 2016. If Norvell can parlay his success at Memphis to Florida State, perhaps the once proud program can rediscover its place in the college football hierarchy.

Florida State University revealed Thursday that it is paying DHR International $100,000 plus expenses to conduct its search for a new head football coach, according to WarChant.com. 

The Seminoles fired Willie Taggart last month after a 4-5 start to the season. Taggart also went 5-7 in 2018, giving him a disappointing 9-12 mark overall.

Since replacing Taggart and serving as the interim head coach, Odell Haggins has gone 2-1, which was enough to make FSU bowl eligible.

Last season marked the first time Florida State failed to reach a bowl game since 1981, and if the Seminoles lose in a bowl game this season, they will finish with a losing record in consecutive years for the first time since having four straight losing campaigns from 1973-1976.

Not counting Haggins, the Seminoles will have their third different head coach in four years whenever they make a hire.

Taggart was initially viewed as a good hire due to his success at South Florida (10-2 in 2016) before going 7-5 at Oregon in 2017. He simply wasn't a quality fit, however, and the program dropped off significantly under him compared to where it was with Jimbo Fisher at the helm.

Fisher left FSU at the conclusion of the 2017 season to take the head coaching job at Texas A&M. During his eight seasons at Florida State, Fisher went 83-23 with six seasons of double-digit wins and a national championship.

The next head coaching hire will be a pivotal moment in Florida State history in terms of determining whether the program will continue down its current path or return to the Fisher and Bobby Bowden glory days.

Since he is 4-1 in two separate stints as interim head coach, Haggins figures to be a strong candidate for the job.

If FSU decides to look elsewhere, Memphis head coach Mike Norvell, Penn State head coach James Franklin and Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly are all reportedly under consideration, per Jim Henry of the Tallahassee Democrat.

Class of 2021 defensive tackle Lee Hunter announced Tuesday he's committed to the Auburn Tigers amid interest from the Alabama Crimson Tide, Ole Miss Rebels and Tennessee Volunteers.  

So blessed to be committed to the university of Auburn it's crazy how a dream came to reality #WARDAMNEAGLE#gotigers#wareagle pic.twitter.com/lR0yhjAPo3

— Lee_Hunter7 (@The_Fridge7) December 3, 2019

Hunter is listed as a 5-star prospect and the No. 28 overall player in the 2021 class by 247Sports' composite rankings. He's also ranked as the No. 4 defensive tackle and the third-best recruit from the state of Alabama.

The Blount High School standout told 247Sports' Jason Caldwell he's still planning to take a "few visits" before signing an official letter of intent, but his commitment to Auburn is firm.

"My heart keeps telling me to go to this school and that's where I'm going to fit in good," Hunter said. "It's Auburn. My heart just keeps telling me to go to Auburn. If I don't go there I feel like I'll make a bad decision."

He noted getting a chance to see Jordan-Hare Stadium packed for a clash with the Georgia Bulldogs in mid-November helped seal the deal despite the Tigers' loss.

"That was big," Hunter told Caldwell. "I saw them score touchdowns in the fourth quarter just because the fans were hyped. It was a great atmosphere. I feel like me and my mom would enjoy that atmosphere."

He added: "War Eagle. I'm going to be somebody to watch and hold on to. My goal is to be a Hall of Famer."

Hunter already features an impressive 6'5'', 292-pound frame with almost two full years to continue adding more power, especially in his lower body. He should be ready from a physical perspective to make an immediate impact when he joins the Tigers in 2021.

In addition, beating out Alabama for a top in-state defensive prospect is a nice recruiting victory for head coach Gus Malzahn and his staff.