The Biggest Game of the Year

Each year as the new schedule is released sports fans, reporters, "experts" etc talk about the strengths and weaknesses, trap games and of course...the biggest game of the year. When I was younger, I used to always believe that the South Carolina game was the biggest of the year, every year. No matter what. I grew up becoming accustomed to always beating the Gamecocks and I'll be the first to let you know that these past five (!) years have not sat well with me...AT ALL. I'm not used to it, I don't want to be! I remember hearing at a young age that the biggest game of the year is always your next game. When I was young I didn't really get it but after maturing and witnessing some of the greatest (and worst) moments in the past decade of Clemson football, I now not only understand, but agree. There is never a bigger game than your next and the next game should always be the most important. Whether it is App State (ask Michigan 2007) Boise State (ask Oklahoma 2007) or Florida State 2013 (ask anybody)...every time you step on the field, your opponent should be the only thing on your mind. And yes, I get it..sometimes it is very easy to look pass a Wofford,  or App State or even a Vanderbilt or North Carolina State and look ahead to an Alabama or Florida State that is looming on the schedule. However, if you aren't careful, the little guys or underdogs can sneak up on you and be your worst nightmare at the absolute worst time.



Tiger fans, remember 2004? It was a rocky start to the season if I've ever seen one that saw the Tigers produce a 1-4 start (including losses to Ga. Tech, Florida State, Texas A&M and Virginia) before winning the next four in a row. That is great and all but it should have been (eventually) 6 in a row to close out the roller coaster season. Catching momentum, the Tigers were riding a 3 game winning streak and stood at 4-4 overall with a HUGE opportunity with a road trip to #11 Miami on deck. The post season was basically out of the question already but the Tigers could salvage some respect with a win over a top 15 team on the road...and they did just that. That afternoon, the Tigers put together a stunning 24-17 comeback victory, rallying from a 17-3 halftime deficit, capped off by a Reggie Merriweather touchdown in overtime. The defense then held on four straight passes and sealed the deal. It was a big, big win for the Tigers and things looked a lot brighter than they did just a few weeks prior. However, Clemson got big headed and the next week a combination of riding the wave from the Miami win and looking ahead to the showdown at home the following week against South Carolina led to one of the worst losses in Clemson history....a 16 -13 defeat on the road to Duke. (DUKE!!!) I remember it like it was yesterday listening from the radio and sitting in disbelief as Duke drilled a 53-yard field goal (would have gone for 60 if needed) as time expired. This game was proof of the dangers of not being focused and why your next game is always your biggest...and why you have to play like it.



My theory on the "biggest game of the year" always being the next game is pretty simple.  You (should) play and think one game at a time. If you blow it against Ball State or Temple (no offense...but you get my point) the weekend before the undefeated showdown with the #1 team in the country...all of the sudden that showdown with the top team in the nation loses some of its luster, hype and importance. Looking at this year's schedule, if I "HAD" to pick a game as "the biggest game" it would without a doubt be the South Carolina game. I don't think I have to go into detail or explain to anyone on this planet why that is the case and if you live in South Carolina you FULLY understand the importance of that game. However, overall I believe it starts with Georgia. That is our next game and right now, our most important game. Sure the game doesn't have nearly as much hype as last year's season opener....nor is it a conference game and the loser obviously has plenty of time to make up ground...but this is an old school (and underrated) rivalry that dates back to 1897 and would be a great road win against a respected SEC opponent for both Clemson and the ACC overall. To sum it up, the season opener in Athens will be a big one and a tall test for the Dabo Swinney and the Tigers. More importantly, it is the biggest game of the year (for now). The next week SC State returns to Death Valley.... a game in which these breed of Bulldogs will be highly over matched. However, like I said, looking ahead to that rematch against Florida State in Tallahassee in week 4 (Tigers have open date in Week 3) before they take of business against SC State could lead to disaster.


In my opinion, "the biggest game is your next game" theory is the best because it helps keep players and coaches focused at the task at hand. Last season, I'm willing to say most fans (both Clemson and non-Clemson) probably had the Georgia game as the biggest of Clemson's season. And while it would be hard to disagree with that, by the time late December rolled around and Clemson was headed back down to Miami, you'd be hard pressed to find someone to say that the game against Ohio State was the biggest and most important of the last ten years. Of course, nobody could have foreseen the events that led to the Tigers and Buckeyes match up at the beginning of the season. Heck, some even had the Buckeyes slipping into the National Championship following conference championship weekend. Once again, this shows that the next game is always the biggest. I'm pumped about this season and how the program moves forward with the loss of two of the greatest players in our history in Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins. It should be another exciting season filled with 12 regular season games..each of which will be very important...and the biggest of the year. (at least for a short period of time)