Hill Watch...124 days!!!

South Carolina Highway 124 is a 5.63 mile state highway that runs from the west end at US 123 near Easley at the Greenville-Pickens Speedway to the east end at the intersection of Vardry Street and SC 81 by Fluor Field (sports on both ends).

Greenville-Pickens Speedway is a race track (racecar is a palindrome btw) between Greenville and Easley, South Carolina that opened in 1940. The track hosted NASCAR sanctioned races for decades, but ceased operations just last year. With no deals or contracts finalized, the fate of the race track is uncertain. The track has seen many racers that became popular NASCAR names like Pearson, Earnhardt, and Lindley. A race even appeared on ABC's Wide World of Sports in 1971. Tasha Kummer, who grew up attending races at the track because of family involvement, became the first woman to win a late model race at GPS. The track has hosted the Upper South Carolina State Fair since 1964.

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124 - Travis Etienne Gained 124 Yards in ACC Title Win over Notre Dame

Apr 29, 2024, 6:18 AM

… And he did in only 10 carries!

In 2020, there was just something special about seeing Clemson beat Notre Dame in Notre Dame’s one and only conference title game in history. I do think ND will eventually join a conference, “Eventually” being the key word in that statement.

But, for now, Notre Dame has been in a conference for only one season. And, Notre Dame has played in a conference title game only once. And, Notre Dame got spanked by Clemson in that one conference title game appearance. Something about that just feels right!!

[Of note: An earlier Hill Watch post provided a Player Profile on Travis Etienne. This post is intended to be more of a Game Profile. (Earlier Hill Watch Post: “212 - Travis Etienne’s Career-High - 212 Yards vs Wofford in 2019.”]

2020 Regular Season

In 2020, we needed something to lift our spirits during a terrible global pandemic. And, is often the case, sports offered the perfect escape to the difficulties of life. Although some NCAA conferences tried to shut down sports, others stood firm. Eventually, even the ones that originally tried to suspend football came around.

And, for one season, Notre Dame joined a conference.

Like Clemson, the Domers were undefeated when the two teams clashed in November. Clemson had to play in ND without several key players including Trevor Lawrence and multiple defensive players on the 2-deep. That said, Undefeated # 4 Notre Dame had every right to celebrate their 2 OT win over undefeated #1 Clemson. In so doing, ND stopped several Clemson winning streaks. According to CBS Sports:

“For once, a regular-season matchup between two of the top teams in the country lived up to the hype and then some. No. 4 Notre Dame outlasted No. 1 Clemson 47-40 in a double-overtime thriller on Saturday night in South Bend, Indiana. In doing so, the Fighting Irish handed the Tigers their first regular-season loss since 2017, ending the nation's longest regular-season winning streak.
…
Clemson's 39-game regular-season win streak is over. As are its streaks of 29 wins in the ACC and 15 straight on the road.”

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/notre-dame-vs-clemson-score-takeaways-no-4-irish-upset-no-1-tigers-in-2ot-thriller-for-defining-win/live/

The ND win set up a rematch in the ACC Title Game in December.

2020 ACC Championship Game

That regular season win might actually have given ND nation a bit too much confidence. Notre Dame fans are not exactly known for their realistic perspectives. Being true to form, the Golden Domers seemed extremely smug in their team winning the ACC Championship in ND’s only season in a conference.

According to the Indy Star, ND QB Ian Book shared that confidence:

“We don’t really worry about everybody else, but there were a lot of doubters,” Book said of the previous win over Clemson. “It felt good to get that win and believe in each other. This whole team believed that we could win before that game started. That's what it's about.
…
“I’m excited that all those guys are back,” Book told ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit, “and we can play them and have all those people be quiet once the game’s over and we get this win.”

https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/notre-dame/2020/12/18/acc-championship-game-notre-dame-qb-ian-book-irish-clemson/3960780001/

According to the Greenville News, ND coaches and other ND players shared that confidence as seen in these quotes from the ND Head Coach:

“It certainly was an incredible football game the first time around. I think fans can look for much of the same in the rematch.” – Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly

“Clemson’s not a team that needs confidence. They’ve been the king of the ACC for a number of years. Both teams got a better sense of who they are (in the first game), but it’s still going to come down to fundamentals and players making plays. I think it’s going to be a closely contested football game.” – Kelly

https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/sports/2020/12/17/what-notre-dame-coaches-and-players-saying-clemson-football/3898044001/

And, former player Malik Zaire shared his confidence as quoted on gmtm.com:

Well, I do think this is a playoff game. It just doesn't have the title to it. I thought the last game was a pre-playoff game for us and I'm expecting (Notre Dame) to win, obviously.

https://gmtm.com/articles/malik-zaire-on-ian-book-2020-heisman-and-mac-football

Then the game started.

Notre Dame Nation was in for a very rude awakening.

Book, Zaire, and so many others in ND Nation seemed to have missed the fact that in the regular season game, their team needed Double Overtime to beat Clemson in South Bend with Clemson missing its top player: Future #1 NFL pick QB Trever Lawrence and missing several defensive starters and backups.

Welcome back to reality ND.

According to USA Today:

“No. 3 Clemson beat No. 2 Notre Dame 34-10 to capture the program's sixth consecutive ACC championship and secure a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Unlike in the previous meeting, won 47-40 in overtime by the Fighting Irish, Clemson's roster was at full strength. After missing that loss due to COVID-19, quarterback Trevor Lawrence had 412 yards of offense and three touchdowns.
…
With several starters back in action after missing November’s loss, the Clemson defense held the Irish to 263 yards of offense. Unlike in that earlier loss, the Tigers dominated the line of scrimmage and harassed Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book, making six sacks.”

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/acc/2020/12/19/clemson-routs-notre-dame-acc-title-college-football-playoff-berth/3976042001/

According to the ACC.com:

Trevor Lawrence had 412 yards of offense and three touchdowns, Travis Etienne ran for 124 yards and a score and No. 3 Clemson dominated No. 2 Notre Dame 34-10 on Saturday to win its sixth straight Atlantic Coast Conference championship.

https://theacc.com/news/2020/12/19/football-clemson-rolls-notre-dame-34-10-for-6th-straight-acc-championship.aspx#:~:text=CHARLOTTE%2C%20N.C.%20(AP)%20Trevor,straight%20Atlantic%20Coast%20Conference%20championship.

Etienne only needed 10 carries for those 124 yards. Very impressive performance!!

ClemsonTigers.com added the following statistics after the game:

“Clemson, which was already the first team in ACC history to win five consecutive outright titles, became the first team in ACC history to win six consecutive ACC titles outright. (Note: Florida State earned at least a share of nine consecutive ACC titles from 1992-2000 but never earned more than three consecutive titles outright.)

Clemson and Oklahoma became the first teams in any active conference to win six consecutive outright conference titles. The last team presently in the Power Five to win at least six straight outright titles was Oklahoma (12 from 1948-59) as part of the now-dissolved Big 8 Conference.

Clemson became the first program to win 20 ACC titles. Since helping form the conference in 1953, Clemson’s ACC-leading 20 titles include 19 outright championships.

Clemson earned its 26th conference championship all-time, including four SIAA championships and two Southern Conference championships prior to the formation of the ACC. Clemson’s 26 conference titles across all conferences are the most of any current or former ACC member.

Clemson improved to 7-1 all-time in ACC Championship Games.”

https://clemsontigers.com/accfcgnd2020/

It was complete domination!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD7gfYkK6sk

https://twitter.com/ClemsonFB/status/1340458153146781697?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1340458153146781697%7Ctwgr%5E91530751affb3e92e06620ec692ecf24297aa77d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fclemsontigers.com%2Faccfcgnd2020%2F

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Clemson: Academic Excellence! Athletic Excellence!

Hill Watch...124 days!!!

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Get em

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Lets go Tigers!!***

Re: Hill Watch...124 days!!!

Re: Hill Watch...124 days!!!

Re: Hill Watch...124 days!!!

Re: Hill Watch...124 days!!!

Re: Hill Watch...124 days!!!

Wooo

Re: Hill Watch...124 days!!!

Go Tigers!!!***

Re: Hill Watch...124 days!!!

Re: Hill Watch...124 days!!!

Slowly but Shirley!!! We're getting there!!

Re: Slowly but Shirley!!! We're getting there!!

Re: Slowly but Shirley!!! We're getting there!!

Re: Slowly but Shirley!!! We're getting there!!

Good morning MfO!

124 - Travis Etienne Gained 124 Yards in ACC Title Win over Notre Dame

Re: 124 - Travis Etienne Gained 124 Yards in ACC Title Win over Notre Dame

Re: 124 - Travis Etienne Gained 124 Yards in ACC Title Win over Notre Dame

Go Tigers!!!***

Re: Hill Watch...124 days!!!

Re: Hill Watch...124 days!!!

Re: Hill Watch...124 days!!!

Re: Hill Watch...124 days!!!

Bring it!

Re: Hill Watch...124 days!!!

Re: Hill Watch...124 days!!!

Roar!

Go Tigers!***

Go Tigers***

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