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Clemson faces must-win at Wake Forest

Oct 7, 2008 - 3:02 PM Clemson (3-2) at (21) Wake Forest (3-1), 7:30 pm EDT

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina (Ticker) -- Clemson rates as one of the most disappointing teams in all of the Football Bowl Subdivision. Picked as the preseason favorites in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Tigers already have two losses and have dropped out of the top 25.

The underachieving Tigers can still stay in the thick of the ACC Atlantic Division race Thursday night with a victory at No. 21 Wake Forest in a battle of teams coming off losses.

Another loss, however, and Clemson's conference title hopes are probably doomed, meaning life could get miserable for Tigers coach Tommy Bowden, who already has watched his team get manhandled by Alabama (34-10) and lose at home to Maryland (20-17) two weeks ago.

The Tigers (3-2, 1-1 ACC Atlantic) need a victory to regain some confidence and stature in the ACC.

In the loss to Maryland, which preceded last week's bye, Clemson squandered a 17-6 halftime lead. Cullen Harper had a lackluster game for the Tigers, completing 15-of-22 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown.

Harper clearly is not the same player he was last season, when he threw a school-record 27 touchdown passes and just six interceptions. This year, he always has five picks and only three TDs.

"Coming into the bye week with a loss is always tough, but we've got to use it as motivation," Harper said. "We've got to get better this next week in practice and prepare for a good Wake Forest team."

Wake Forest (3-1, 1-0 ACC Atlantic) also has been struggling. After being held without a touchdown in a 12-3 win over Florida State, the Demon Deacons were surprised by Navy, 20-17, in their last game on September 24. Like Clemson, Wake Forest is coming off a bye week.

Against Navy, the Demon Deacons committed six turnovers with the usually reliable Riley Skinner throwing a career-high four interceptions in possibly his worst game at Wake Forest. The loss denied the Demon Deacons a school record-tying seventh straight victory, a mark that was established in 1943.

However, Clemson will be facing a Wake Forest team primed for revenge.

The Demon Deacons suffered a 44-10 loss at Clemson last season, ending their hopes for a second straight ACC title. Harper threw three touchdowns in the rout.