Clemson is the premier program in the Atlantic Coast Conference and one of college football’s blue bloods. The program all the other 13 league teams want to be like.
The University Louisville visits Clemson Saturday afternoon for a 3:30 game.
Clemson (8-1, 6-0) has won nine ACC titles sinceCoach Dabo Swinney began his career at Clemson during the 2008 season. Since he took over he has coached national championship teams in 2016 and 2018 and been to the playoff six times.
No surprise Clemson fans were unhappy about a 10-3 record and a Cheez-It Bowl victory over Iowa State last season. Worse the Tigers were totally outplayed in last Saturdays‘s loss at Notre Dame, 35-14. Especially stinging. Clemson turned the ball over at all the wrong times. The Tigers .had a punt blocked and then backup quarterback Gade Klubnik threw a pick-six interception. He was immediately replaced.
“You can’t turn the ball over this day in college football,” said Satterfield. The game was 14-0 until the end of the third quarter. In the fourth the Tigers gave up 21 points.
Louisville is 0-7 versus Clemson and had an opportunity last season driving inside the five yard line in the fourth quarter only to be turned away. “Yeah, it sticks with us a long time. It’s one of those games that you certainly had a chance. It really haunts you not being able to score right there.
“That is one that stands out and probably will, for a long time,” said Satterfield. “ Hopefully, we get that bad taste out of mouths.”
Traditional Louisville has played some close games at Clemson. In 2014, 2015 and 2016 Louisville was within a touchdown. Then last season ended 30-24 at Cardinal Stadium.
Clemson has won 38 games in a row at home. A crowd in excess of 80,000 in Memorial Stadium at Frank Howard Field will be loud, unfriendly and snobby.“It’s loud. It’s packed and there’s not going to be an empty seat in the place,” said Satterfield. “It will be a big emphasis this week not having self-inflicted penalties, you don’t want those.”