Tigers Look to Rebound Against a Quality Mountaineers Team

Tigers Rebound — © Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The No. 25 Clemson Tigers (0-1) will look to rebound against the Appalachian State Mountaineers (1-0) when they take the field on the evening of Sept. 7. The two teams meet for only the sixth time with the Tigers winning the previous five. The last meeting came in 2015 when the Tigers won 41-10.

For the Tigers and head coach Dabo Swinney, the game will provide an opportunity to get the program back on track after underperforming in their first game of the season. For the Mountaineers, while a tough road test, it will allow head coach Shawn Clark and the team to get a statement win against a perennial power of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

What's at Stake?

For the Tigers, quarterback Cade Klubnik and the offense will look to rebound with a much better performance a week after losing to the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs (1-0). The veteran offensive line was regularly outmuscled and running back Phil Mafah struggled to get any footing in the game. For the Mountaineers, after winning their first game 38-10, quarterback Joey Aguilar and the offense will look to build off last week's 326-yard two-touchdown effort.

Players to Watch for the Clemson Tigers

On offense, it will all start with Klubnik and Mafah. Both players are the main cogs in the offense and need to get their footing for the offense to work. Antonio Williams led the team in receiving yards last week and is one of a trio of receiving weapons for the offense that Klubnik will need to get involved early and often. On defense, linebackers Barrett Carter and Wade Woodaz showed tenacity to attack downhill and make plays. The secondary will need to have a solid game, cornerbacks Avieon Terrell and Jeadyn Lukus were impressive in the loss last week as they both covered ground quickly and attacked the ball carrier to make tackles.

Players to Watch for App State

With Aguilar looking to build off last season's 3,757-yard, 33-touchdown performance and receiver Kaedin Robinson continuing to lead the offense, the aerial attack will be a key matchup against the secondary of the Tigers. The question the team will need to answer is where the rushing game will come from. Running back Kanye Roberts was limited to 35 yards on 9 carries last week. Will someone step up against a formidable Tigers defense?

Trends to Watch

After just one week, team trends are still being developed. Last week, the Tigers' offense struggled to find its rhythm and sustain any drives. Consequently, the defense was on the field for just under 33 minutes of the game, which is a tall task against the top-ranked team in the country. For the Mountaineers of Appalachian State, while the passing game picked up where it left off last season, a running game will be needed moving forward.

In the end, Clemson rebounds and gets a win against the Mountaineers.