Week 7: Clemson at Wake Forest

This meeting was supposed to be the premier game in the ACC this season: the preseason pick to win the Atlantic Division championship (Clemson) traveling to the projected runner-up (Wake Forest) for a primetime showdown in front of a national TV audience. Needless to say, the game lost a little luster two weeks ago when each team suffered a surprising home loss.

The question to be answered in this contest is which team will bounce back now that both squads have had an open date to lick their wounds and prepare for each other. The Tigers, who lost to Maryland 20-17 in their last game, spent extra time working on their disappointing offense. The Demon Deacons, who committed six turnovers in a shocking 24-17 loss to Navy, had to address their run defense after allowing the Midshipmen to rack up 292 rushing yards.

Clemson will attack Wake Forest’s opportunistic defense (NCAA-best 17 takeaways) with its fifth different starting offensive line in six games this season. The Tigers still don’t have injured starting guards Barry Humphries and David Smith available, but they get to put starting left tackle Chris Hairston back in the starting lineup this week. The return of Hairston, who has missed two games and was limited against Maryland because of a knee injury, pushes Cory Lambert inside to left guard.

That front five must protect quarterback Cullen Harper and pave the way for talented tailbacks James Davis and C.J. Spiller, who totaled just 31 rushing yards in the second half against the Terrapins. Clemson offensive coordinator Rob Spence reportedly has installed some new trick plays to feature Davis and Spiller, but it remains to be seen whether he will use them this week.

The Demon Deacons counter with an offense still searching for balance. Quarterback Riley Skinner leads the ACC in completion percentage, passing efficiency and total offense, and wide receiver D.J. Boldin leads the league in receptions (7.0 per game), but Wake Forest’s rushing attack has been anemic (84.8 yards per game). Tailbacks Josh Adams (2.7 yards per carry) and Brandon Pendergrass (2.4 yards per carry) must become threats to keep Clemson from clamping down on the short passing game that Skinner executes so well.

Notes/Things to Watch:

Clemson leads the all-time series 56-16-1, including two consecutive victories. Wake Forest has won two of the last three meetings in Winston-Salem.

With injuries robbing them of experience on the offensive line, the Tigers have toned down their vertical passing game in favor of quick throws to the perimeter. That change has robbed Clemson of one of its top threats, wide receiver Aaron Kelly. Kelly, who made 88 catches for 1,081 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, has just 25 catches for 253 yards and no scores in 2008. Kelly has totaled 91 yards and 93 yards receiving in his last two games against Wake Forest, and Clemson needs to get him heavily involved in the offense again.

It wouldn’t be surprising for this game to come down to a late field goal, and each team features an effective kicker. Clemson’s Mark Buchholz has not missed a field goal or extra point this season, and Wake Forest’s Sam Swank leads the nation in field goals (2.5 per game).

Excluding its six-turnover debacle against Navy, Wake Forest has earned a reputation for not beating itself. The Demon Deacons are fifth nationally in turnover margin (plus-1.5 per game) and will look to take advantage of a penalty-plagued Clemson team that also has committed more turnovers than it has forced.

Key Player (Tigers) — C.J. Spiller, RB

The ultimate big-play threat, Spiller has scored 11 touchdowns of at least 50 yards in his career. He has burned the Demon Deacons for one such score in each of the last two seasons, and Clemson’s coaches would love to see him do it again.

Key Player (Demon Deacons) — Alphonso Smith, CB

Smith, who leads all active players nationally with 16 career interceptions, is the ACC’s best cornerback. He needs just one interception to tie the school record in that category, and he has a knack for coming up with takeaways in big games.

Clemson by 3