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Clemson coach Bowden still chasing elusive ACC title

Aug 30, 2008 - 10:14 AM Alabama at No. 9 Clemson, 8:00 pm EDT

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Clemson coach Tommy Bowden has gained a reputation for not being able to win the big one, but at least he enters this season with more job security.

Bowden, who signed a four-year contract extension in the offseason after contemplating an offer from Arkansas, opens his 10th season at Clemson with a potentially difficult non-conference contest Saturday against Alabama in the Georgia Dome.

Bowden, who owns a 69-42 record at Clemson, is still seeking his first Atlantic Coast Conference title and may never win one if it doesn't happen this season. With plenty of firepower, the Tigers are an overwhelming favorite to capture their first ACC crown since 1991.

Quarterback Cullen Harper returns for his senior season after passing for 2,991 yards and 27 touchdowns with only six interceptions. His favorite target was Aaron Kelly, who caught 88 passes for 1,081 yards and 11 TDs.

Clemson, which went 9-4 in 2007, also boasts one of the nation's top backfield tandems in James Davis and C.J. Spiller, who combined for 1,832 yards and 13 scores last season.

The outlook at Alabama is entirely different, as the Crimson Tide looks to rebound from a disastrous finish in Nick Saban's first season as coach.

Alabama dropped its final four regular-season games, including an inexplicable 21-14 defeat to Louisiana-Monroe, then needed to beat Colorado in the Independence Bowl to salvage a winning season at 7-6.

John Parker Wilson returns for his third season as the Crimson Tide's starter after passing for a school-record 2,846 yards last year.

Wilson has started every game for Alabama the last two seasons, but he has a propensity for making costly mistakes and ranked only 92nd in passing efficiency in 2007 in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Alabama owns an 11-3 record in the all-time series with Clemson, which posted a 56-0 rout of the Crimson Tide in 1975 - the last time these teams met.