May 22, 2013
Tuesday October 30, 202
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) -- Clemson coach Dabo Swinney says the 10th-ranked Tigers have grown since their late-season collapse of last fall and have the experience to avoid a similar slide this season.
In 2011, the Tigers were 8-0 and ranked No. 6 nationally. They were in the thick of talk for a BCS national title because of a record-setting offense that looked unstoppable.
Then things fell apart. Clemson lost three of its final four games in the regular season. The team rebounded to win the Atlantic Coast Conference title before it was demolished in prime time in an embarrassing 70-33 loss to West Virginia in the Orange Bowl.
Swinney says there are plenty of players still bothered by the late free-fall. The Tigers (7-1, 4-1 ACC) face Duke (6-3, 2-2) on Saturday.
Copyright 2012 Associated Press
