No. 4 Clemson faces FCS’s Wofford seeking 24th straight win
Wofford (5-2) at No. 4 Clemson (8-0), Saturday at 4 p.m. EDT (ACC Network).
Line: No line.
Series record: Clemson leads 12-3.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Possibly the biggest upset of the college football season. The fourth-ranked Tigers, who have won their first eight games by an average of 31 points a game, are expected to easily roll through Wofford of the FCS’s Southern Conference. Wofford’s last win in the series came in 1933 and Clemson is 33-0 against FCS teams since the NCAA created the subdivision in 1978.
KEY MATCHUP
Clemson RB Travis Etienne vs. Wofford’s defense. Etienne has looked like the reigning ACC player of the year the past month and had 109 yards and three TDs in a 59-7 win over Boston College last week in about a half of work. The Terriers lead the SoCon in rushing defense at 104 yards a game.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Wofford: QB Joe Newman ran for 66 yards and three touchdowns and threw for 134 yards in the Terriers’ 35-34 overtime win against Chattanooga last week. He earned his second straight SoCon offensive player of the week award.
Clemson: WR Diondre Overton caught his first three touchdown passes of the year against Boston College. He finished with a career best 119 yards receiving against Boston College as the graduate student resisted the urge to transfer and remained part of Clemson’s stacked receiving corps.
FACTS & FIGURES
Wofford coach Josh Conklin was on Pitt’s staff in 2016 when the Panthers had one of the biggest surprises of the season with a 43-42 win over then-No. 2 Clemson at Death Valley. … Clemson is looking to start 9-0 for the fourth time in five seasons and the sixth time in its history. … Wofford is a small-school success story, reaching the NCAA playoffs the past three seasons and winning last two SoCon titles. … Etienne is one behind the school’s record holder James Davis’ 47 rushing touchdowns. … Wofford is receiving $360,000 for its visit to Clemson. … The Tigers are looking to match the school mark for most consecutive wins at home. They have won their last 20, one shy of the record set between 2013-16.