Tigers get ACC title shot with Orange Bowl bid on the line

CLEMSON -- Dabo Swinney noted the commiserating among Clemson fans at places like Mac's -- a burger-serving institution near campus -- has gone on for some time.

"Mac's flipped a lot of burgers between our last ACC championship and now," said Swinney, who wore a Gatorade-soaked sweatshirt to the postgame briefing Saturday following the Tigers' 34-21 victory over Virginia. "I know a lot of people go in there and complain to Mac we don't get it done."

Complaining has clamored for 18 years at the diner, the time elapsed since Clemson's last ACC title. Patrons cursed Novembers of the Tommy Bowden era. They

lamented Matt Ryan's throw in Death Valley in 2007, robbing Clemson of an Atlantic title. They sulked over closing with back-to-back ACC losses in 2000, erasing a 6-0 start in conference play.

Following Clemson's win Saturday to claim the program's first outright Atlantic title, discussions will center on an example of Clemson getting it done.

"We've been so close for so many years, it's a great way to end it," said senior guard Thomas Austin, playing in his last game at Memorial Stadium.

While Clemson (8-3, 6-2) needed to win for an outright title, the Atlantic was secured 20 minutes before kickoff thanks to North Carolina's win over Boston College, which kicked off three hours earlier.

It created a rematch against Georgia Tech on Dec. 5. in Tampa, Fla., at 8 p.m. (ESPN).

The Yellow Jackets defeated Clemson, 30-27, in Atlanta in Week 2. Tech (10-1, 7-1) hasn't won an ACC title since 1990.

The winner of the ACC title game will receive an Orange Bowl invitation. Clemson hasn't been to the Orange Bowl since Jan. 1, 1982, when it defeated Nebraska to win its only national title. It was also the last time the Tigers earned a berth to one of the four major bowls now comprising the Bowl Championship Series.

Curious to see if they were Tampa bound before kickoff, C.J. Spiller said players followed the Boston College game on their mobile devices. Swinney addressed the team before the game, alerting everyone Clemson had indeed clinched the division, yet adding it was no time to celebrate.

The 40-year-old head coach had said all week the Boston College game "didn't matter."

The Tigers' first-half play indicated otherwise.

"We didn't play well," Swinney said.

The Tigers began the day, stumbling backward into Tampa and the rivalry game at South Carolina next Saturday.

Virginia (3-8, 2-5) entered last in the ACC in scoring and offensive yardage, facing a Clemson defense ranking No. 2 in total defense and No. 3 is scoring defense. Yet, the Cavaliers (19.8 ppg) bettered their season scoring average in one half.

Embattled Virginia coach Al Groh resorted to creativity in the first half, having receiver Vic Hall throw two passes on end-arounds, including a 5-yard scoring pass to Joe Torchia, on a drive to tie the score at 14 with 3:40 to play.

On Virginia's next possession, Jameel Sewell hit Mikell Simpson with a 23-yard swing pass, cutting the lead to 24-21 to close the half.

Swinney said defensive coordinator Kevin Steele and his defense "were not singing Kumbaya" at halftime.

The Tigers overplayed Virginia's misdirection, allowing 233 yards in the first half.

"If you're farming someone else's land, you are not going to get the money," Steele said. "You better farm your own land."

The Clemson defense was bailed out by the offense and freshman quarterback Kyle Parker, who completed his first 10 passes, finishing with 19 completions on 26 attempts for 234 yards and two touchdowns. It was his second straight turnover-free game.

"(Parker) is much more efficient with the football," Swinney said. "He understands our protections. He gets us out of the wrong play."

In the second half, the defense looked much more like the dominant group Steele believes it can be. The Tigers sacked Virginia quarterbacks eight times and limited the Cavs to 40 yards.

For a head coach in his first full year, for first-year coordinators and a first-year quarterback, the day marked what they believed was a considerable first in program history. And added Swinney: "It's not over yet."

Reach Travis Sawchik at tsawchik@postandcourier.com and check out his Clemson blog at www.postandcourier.com/blogs/tiger_tracks.