Clemson will seek to earn a home victory against an AP Top 5 opponent for the fifth time in Death Valley's illustrious history on Saturday, Oct. 3, when the Tigers welcome the No. 4 Miami (Fla.) Hurricanes in prime time. Kickoff at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
The game will be a matchup of the ACC's only two 2-0 teams in conference play. Eleven of the conference's 17 teams have already drawn a conference loss this year, and of the league's six teams that are undefeated in ACC play, only the Tigers and Hurricanes have played multiple conference games.
Clemson's defense is still rebounding statistically from a tough season-opening performance at LSU. Clemson surrendered 51 points and 644 yards in its opener but allowed an average of 12.3 points (and only 10.0 points when excluding a scoop-and-score by Cal's defense) and 282.0 yards per game in the three games that followed. Clemson's defensive surge has been powered in part by its revamped secondary, which includes junior Thorpe Award candidate Ashton Hampton and three impact transfers in cornerback Elliot Washington II and safeties Corey Myrick and Jerome Carter III.
Last week, the unit held Cal's then-13th-ranked pass offense to 145 passing yards, including a career-low 119 yards for quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele.
