Yesterday, for the second time in two weeks, saw many members of Clemson's School of Agriculture ran onto its football field, I guess for the purpose of inspecting how the grass was growing or something. In all seriousness, the Clemson fans had seen their team pull off an upset over a Florida State team that hasn't been relevant since some aging Floridians couldn't see their presidential ballot and a presidential recount happened because of it.
The Quorum ranks this as a poor Storming of the Field
Clemson skirted criticism last week despite a very shaky storming last week, when they ran onto the field after a beating a very average Auburn team. Auburn is the defending national champion and hadn't lost since 2009, but had surrendered 490 yards of total offense per game in their first two games, including 227 yards on the ground to Utah State. We can only speculate that Auburn won that Utah State game after Bobby Lowder made a payment directly into the bank account of God, but no one really knows for sure (thanks, JP). However, Clemson fans saw this Auburn victory over USU as a sign of Auburn's collective strength, as Utah State is usually ranked in the top 3 of D-1 teams based in Utah. It's clear that Auburn is very average, but you don't get to defeat the defending national champs very often, so they got a pass from criticism from the Quorum, whether warranted or not.
Clemson can't be let off the hook for this, especially since Clemson fans fancy themselves big time football fans when they are not driving their pickup trucks and going hunting. Clemson football is a religion to those people, and they follow it as closely as Tyrone Biggums follows his next crack rock lead. And for many, many years, this has led to extreme disappointment, as nobody underachieves like Clemson football. So perhaps their judgement has been skewed a bit, but that is no excuse.
Let's take a look at their opponent. Free Shoes University came into the game with a lofty ranking, after putting up a competitive showing against Oklahoma, although we should point out that Florida State never once convinced me or any other viewer that they ever had enough to win that game. They are what they are every year this millenium, which is a good not great team that will qualify for the BCS only if they win their conference. In addition, their starting quarterback was out injured, and he was replaced by a guy who might pass for a high school junior, and FSU coaches and personnel around the program have been saying all along that NEXT year was going to be their year, not this one. Also, Clemson has won the last five home games they have played against FSU. And again, FSU's program hasn't been relevant on a national level since 2000. Why, again, are you storming the field.
As for you, Clemson, we all know that you fancy yourselves an elite program within college football. You have some tradition, with 1 national championship, while also possessing one of the best game day atmospheres in all of college football. However, you are number one on everyone's list when people rank underachieving programs, as it is your birth right to underwhelm everyone's expectations of you. Thus, nobody takes you seriously, and this kills you, as you fancy yourself a big program.
Well, guess what? Everyone takes Clemson even less seriously than they did two days ago. Because storming the field after beating a good, not great, team, who, oh by the way, you had BEATEN 5 straight times on your home field coming into that game, only confirms you as a second rate program. Not only that, you stormed the field last week too, which confirms that every win that you get over a ranked opponent is seemingly a huge win, only cementing yourself a second rate program once again. It was a big win in the conference, sure, but it does absolutely nothing to increase your worth nationally. Save your stormings for a conference opponent that is nationally relevant, competing for national titles on a regular basis. Oh damn, that's kind of an oxymoron when you play in the ACC isn't it?
Even when Clemson is successful, they continue to fail. It's the only way.
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