Clemson's Spiller can only do so much himself

TAMPA, Fla. — It was a full Saturday of odd juxtapositions around Tampa Bay. Hard by the St. Petersburg Pier it almost snowed at Snowfest, which came complete with a toboggan run and parade.

At Raymond James Stadium on Saturday night, C.J. Spiller walked off the field technically a loser despite the best game of the best individual season in Clemson football history.

On a grand Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game stage, the senior tailback from Lake Butler, Fla., put Clemson teammates and coaches and fans on his back and ran and ran and kept running.

Eventually, it all added up to a career-high 233 yards. Plus Heisman votes, legendary status, 'SportsCenter' highlights and very nearly the

Tigers' Spiller can only do so much

Orange Bowl.

The Tigers almost won but lost to Georgia Tech, 39-34.

And here was a scene stranger than the pre-game gathering of all 12 ACC mascots: A couple of Georgia Tech players running across the field after the game to hug Spiller before he got into a tunnel leading to the Clemson locker room.

'C.J. played a great game,' Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson said. 'He's a tremendous player. I wish him the best in the NFL.'

Heisman help

Heisman Trophy ballots are due Monday and Spiller, after a slump over the Virginia and South Carolina games, erupted right on cue.

He won't win the award.

But less than spectacular Saturdays by Florida quarterback Tim Tebow and Texas quarterback Colt McCoy might vault Spiller into top-five status.

At the very least, the most versatile player in college football showed why he deserves a trip to New York City for the Heisman ceremony.

Anything less is a crying shame.

But it's quite a drop for Clemson, from a 34-33 lead late in the ACC Championship Game and an Orange Bowl trip, so close some Clemson fans here had oranges in their hands, to maybe the Music City Bowl.

Spiller's career-high four touchdowns did not account for enough points, mostly because he does not play defense.

Saturday night and all season he made an above-average team good.

Spiller, in order, thanked God, his offensive line and his wide receivers for their blocking downfield.

'You never want to come up short when you play in these championship games,' Spiller said. 'They just made the plays they needed to make to win.'

Long and strange

There was not much Spiller could do but wait and watch as Georgia Tech's triple-option offense took off on drive after lengthy drive and controlled the ball for more than 37 minutes.

Then again, rest was good; Spiller was probably hurting more than he let on — toe, groin and probably various other body parts.

'He played his butt off,' offensive coordinator Billy Napier said. 'That guy is one of the most competitive people you will ever be around. In a setting like this, you knew he was going to bring his best.'

This has been a uniquely long, strange season for Clemson Nation.

The precious first trip to the ACC title game, but a loss in Tampa following a loss at South Carolina will make for odd digestion.

There was almost snow in St. Petersburg on Saturday.

Almost for the C.J. Spiller Tigers, too.

Reach Gene Sapakoff at gsapakoff@postandcourier.com