CLEMSON – When the Thursday lights go on under the watch of ESPN cameras, Clemson’s resolve and execution have typically shorted out.

The Tigers enter tonight’s game against No. 15 Georgia Tech, with a 2-8 mark in nationally televised Thursday night games.

Some would point to those struggles as symptomatic of more troubling trends since 1999: there is the 7-30 mark against ranked teams in the final AP poll, the 2-11 mark against those teams on the road, and a 3-6 record in bowl games.

Tonight offers an chance to evaluate how effective Dabo Swinney’s campaign has been in changing the culture of the program, namely its physicality and ability to overcome adversity.

“The main thing is understanding not everything is going to go our way,”

C.J. Spiller said.

Left tackle Chris Hairston and the Tigers know tonight offers a chance to alter perception, to prove legitimacy.

“It’s a chance to show the nation we are a Clemson team with a different attitude, with a different tenacity,” Hairston said. “The past is the past …. It’s a very good Georgia Tech team and a very big stage.

“We’ve got all of America watching.”

They had all of American watching last season on ABC, entering the Georgia Dome as preseason ACC favorites. The rest is regime-changing history.

They will be watching again from coast to coast, no doubt curious to see redshirt freshman Kyle Parker make his first start on the road.

Parker passed his first test with flying colors in the comforts of home.

Even with four dropped passes by his receivers, he averaged 7.9 yards per pass attempt and threw two touchdowns against no interceptions.

But in Atlanta he’ll face the most hostile crowd he’s ever played before.

He’ll face a defense that likely won’t have to play zero-man to slow the run game.

He’ll face a secondary that contains ball-hawking safety Morgan Burnett who tied for first in the conference with seven interceptions last season and third in passes defended (15).

To prepare Parker the staff has filtered in crowd noise this week.

“You just have to be ready to take whatever the defense gives you,” Parker said. “They’re just more athletic, that’s the biggest thing.”

Also to consider is this has been the most tightly contested series in recent ACC history.

Ten of the last 13 meetings have been decided by five points or less, including last season’s 21-17 loss in Clemson.

Coming into play is a young place kicker in Richard Jackson, who did not conceal his nerves prior to the Middle Tennessee game, saying he deployed tactics from a Kevin Costner movie “The Love of the Game” to calm his anxiety.

Buoying the confidence of the young players, of the team, is one of Swinney’

s strengths, Hairston said.

The embattled offensive line will have eyes upon it tonight as they try to consolidate gains made against Middle Tennessee.

“He really wants to develop that old Tigers’ swagger, be physical, pound the ball,” Hairston said. “He’s really putting confidence into the team … we have to believe.”

The idea is to treat tonight like a typical game, but the players concede that’s impossible. The players note friends, family and former teammates will all be watching.

They know the country is watching.

“We’ll really see where we stand as a team,” Spiller said. “We’ll see how strong the bond is.”

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

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