Boyd, Clemson look to right the ship against Boston College

Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd will be without one of his favorite targets today against Boston College, as receiver Sammy Watkins will miss the game with a virus.

Rainier Ehrhardt/AP

Published: Friday, September 28, 2012 at 9:45 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, September 28, 2012 at 9:45 p.m.

CLEMSON ? Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd felt hollow when the 17th-ranked Tigers lost at No. 4 Florida State last week. He took major steps to make sure he wouldn?t feel that away again today at Boston College.

Facts

TODAY'S GAME

No. 17 Clemson (3-1, 0-1 ACC) at Boston College (1-2, 0-1)
3:30 p.m., ESPN2, 93.3 FM
Line: Clemson by 9 ?.
Series record: Clemson leads 10-9-2.
WHAT'S AT STAKE
Clemson is seeking to bounce back from last week's 49-37 loss at No. 4 Florida State. The Tigers led 31-21 in the third quarter before the Seminoles put up four touchdowns down the stretch against a tiring defense that has struggled against the run all year long. Boston College is hoping to pull off an ACC surprise as it did in 2010's 16-10 victory over Clemson on Chestnut Hill.
KEY MATCHUP
Clemson receiver Sammy Watkins vs. Boston College's defense. Watkins missed the season's first two games because of suspension, and then tuned up for about a half in a win over Furman before facing Florida State. Watkins has 10 catches for just 76 yards and no touchdowns this season. Boston College has given up just 202 yards passing a game, fourth best in the ACC.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Clemson: QB Tajh Boyd had a record-setting season for the Tigers last year and has largely picked up where he left off in 2011. He's averaged 246 yards a game and has thrown nine touchdown passes, tied for second in the ACC.
Boston College: QB Chase Rettig is the ACC's surprise leader in passing yards per game and total offense. As Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said this week, "It's been a long time since we've seen them lead the league in passing."
FACTS & FIGURES
Clemson has lost two of three meetings in Boston since the Eagles joined the ACC in 2005 ... Boston College linebacker Nick Clancy leads the nation with more than 14 tackles per game. ... Clemson kicker Chandler Catanzaro has made his last 15 straight field goals, surpassing the school record of 14 straight held by former NFL kicker Obed Ariri in 1980. ... The Eagles had last week off after losing at Northwestern, 22-13 on Sept. 15. ... The winner of this game receives the O'Rourke-McFadden Trophy, an award named for Charlie O'Rourke of Boston College and Banks McFadden of Clemson. The two competed against each other in the 1940 Cotton Bowl.

Boyd called a players? only meeting once the team returned from Tallahassee, still stinging from the 49-37 defeat. He told the Tigers he didn?t want them to splinter or point fingers after the loss because there was plenty of time for the defending Atlantic Coast Conference champions to deliver on a big season.

For Boyd and the Tigers (3-1, 0-1 ACC), that starts this weekend against the Eagles (1-2, 0-1). The task got a bit harder Thursday when star receiver Sammy Watkins was ruled out because of an abdominal virus. He did not make the trip.

Clemson led Florida State by two touchdowns and was still ahead 31-21 midway through the third quarter when the Seminoles? offense started rolling. Florida State struck for four touchdowns to take control of the early season ACC Atlantic Division showdown.

Boyd said there were plenty of breakdowns on all sides of the ball. Clemson?s defense struggled to keep the Seminoles off the scoreboard and allowed 667 yards, the second-highest total in program history. The offense didn?t answer back during the decisive stretch. And Clemson?s special teams gave up several big plays, including a 90-yard kickoff return to Lamarcus Joyner during Florida State?s rally.

Everyone on the Tigers shares responsibility for the loss, something Boyd wanted to remind the players as they got ready for this week?s game.

?There?s no need for anything to try and divide us,? he said.

Boyd and the Tigers hope to prevent a lingering letdown and avoid last season?s late slide when Clemson opened 8-0. But a 31-17 defeat at Georgia Tech started a 1-3 finish in the regular season.

The Tigers rallied to win their first ACC title in 20 years with a 38-10 victory over Virginia Tech. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said the memories of last year?s rise, fall and title win should help the team keep last week?s defeat in perspective.

?We are the same team that had a really good team on the road down 14 and didn?t finish it,? Swinney said. ?Those guys are still here. We know we are capable of being a good football team. That was one game. We have so much opportunity to have a very, very good season.?

Clemson has certainly had its hands full with Boston College since it joined the league in 2005, including losing two of its three trips to Chestnut Hill. The Eagles? first league win came against the Tigers in 2005. Losses to Boston College in 2006 and 2007 cost those Clemson teams trips to the ACC title games both years. And in 2010, a Clemson team seeking to get its season back on track managed only three points on offense in a 16-10 defeat to the Eagles.

?Any edge we can get against this team will be helpful for us because they have so many weapons,? said Boston College linebacker Nick Clancy, who leads the country with more than 14 tackles a game.

The Eagles have a few weapons, too. Quarterback Chase Rettig leads the ACC with 317 yards per game. He?s also tops in ACC total offense. Wideout Alex Amidon is tops in the league with a 122-yard receiving average.

?It?s been a long time since we?ve seen them lead the league in passing,? Swinney said.

Source: http://www.goupstate.com/article/20120928/wire/120929649

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