The undefeated Clemson Tigers face the North Carolina Tar Heels in the ACC Championship game Saturday night at Bank of America Stadium. The Tigers are the number one ranked team in the nation in the College Football Playoff poll, and a win Saturday will lock them in the College Football Playoff and give them their first ACC title since 2011. North Carolina is making it's first appearance in an ACC Championship game and has an outside chance at making the College Football Playoff, as they are currently ranked 10th.
Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney will need quarterback Deshaun Watson to continue to step up, as he has led Clemson to an undefeated season and is one of the top candidates for the Heisman Trophy. The Tigers sophomore quarterback is a dual threat behind center and has thrown for 3,223 yards with 27 touchdowns to 10 interceptions. Watson keeps defenses on their heels as he has the arm to throw it deep, but he has also rushed for 756 yards and nine touchdowns this year.
Sophomore running back Wayne Gallman has had a huge season for the Tigers and is their leading rusher with 1,145 yards this season. Gallman has scored nine touchdowns this year and has rushed over 100 yards seven times this season. Swinney will need a strong ground game against the Tar Heels, as time of possession could be a major factor in the outcome of this game.
The Tar Heels have averaged 50 points a game in their final four games of the season, and head coach Larry Fedora has his offense firing on all cylinders at the most crucial time of the season. Quarterback Marquise Williams runs North Carolina's offense and is having a huge senior year.
Williams has thrown for 2,605 yards with 18 touchdowns to eight interceptions this season and is a matchup nightmare for any defense. Williams has rushed for 786 yards this season and has scored 10 touchdowns with his legs. Both programs have strong ground games, and running back Elijah Hood will look to carry the load against the Tigers Saturday night.
The Tar Heels sophomore running back is averaging 6.7 yards per carry and has scored 16 touchdowns this year. Hood is coming off his best performance of the season in a win against in-state rival North Carolina State, and he rushed for 220 yards and two touchdowns.
Quarterback play looks to be a decisive factor in who will win this matchup, but expect both defenses to come out fired up, as both teams are fighting for a chance to make the College Football Playoff. The game starts at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, and you can watch the live broadcast here. To listen to the Tigers' radio broadcast, click here, and for the Tar Heels' radio broadcast, go here.
