CLEMSON — Around every corner this season, ghosts of Clemson’s past have taunted Dabo Swinney.

After the loss to lowly Maryland, they howled Clemson was still haunted by the Bowden era. That Swinney is a Bowden-era relic.

After a Graig Cooper run gave Miami a first-and-goal in overtime Saturday, they thought: Oh no, not again — another late lead squandered.

This week, Swinney was reminded of what followed Clemson’s last victory at Miami — a loss to Duke.

Against Coastal Carolina (3-4) today, it might take some sort of Halloween curse for the Tigers to fall to the Chanticleers. Clemson has never lost to an FCS (formerly I-AA) school, going 22-0 against the division since it was formed in 1978.

But the skeptics, disembodied or not, will be watching to see if Clemson routs Coastal like talent indicates it should. Clemson has defeated FCS schools by an average margin of 32 points.

More important, they’ll be watching next week to see if the Tigers can deliver against Florida State and continue to control their own destiny in the Atlantic Division. To see if the Tigers handle newly calibrated expectations.

“We’re going to find out,” Swinney said. “We don’t sit around and think about years past.

“This is this year. This is a different team.”

Swinney says the Tigers have put it all on the line every week this season. And it’s true the Tigers have had consistent effort in most games, holding fourth-quarter leads against three top-15 teams this season.

But what about Maryland?

The Tigers inexplicably stumbled against the Terrapins, who have lost to Middle Tennessee and Duke this season.

Clemson running back Jamie Harper contends the Tigers had a solid preparation for Maryland, they just “came out a little flat.”

“Leadership and ownership,” responded Harper when asked how the Tigers will stay focused. “Everybody just has to be on the same page.”

Left tackle Chris Hairston echoed the sophomore running back.

“We had a good week of practice,” Hairston said of the week prior to the Maryland debacle. “A lot of things that happened was us not taking technique from the (practice) field to the game.”

The question is not if, it is how, the Tigers will defeat the Chanticleers.

Will the Tigers show a measure of maturity and dominance or Maryland-like apathy.

Coastal has already played and lost to one FBS team this season, Kent State, which shut out the Chanticleers, 18-0.

Having quieted their critics, at least for a moment, Swinney was given an opportunity to respond to his doubters this week. He declined the bait.

“People are always going to have comments and opinions, and it’s part of it,” Swinney said. “We are a work in progress. (But) we’ve stayed together and played hard.

“I think it’s a good sign.”

You must be logged in to comment.