If this is what passes for a tight game for No. 22 Clemson, the Tigers will take it.
For the first time, a team kept it closer than 40 points against them - but it still wasn't enough to test them for 40 minutes.
As a result, Clemson routed North Carolina-Greensboro 89-67 on Friday night behind a season-high 17 points from Trevor Booker.
Milton Jennings added 14 points for the Tigers (3-0), Andre Young had 13 and David Potter finished with 11. Clemson shot 54.5 percent, forced 23 turnovers, broke it open by closing the first half with a huge run and extended its school-record winning streak in non-conference road games to 11.
Clemson won its 29th straight game in November since 2005. Their previous two have come by 43 points against Presbyterian and 40 at Liberty.
SPARTANBURG - C.J. Spiller has always displayed the ability to stir emotions with his football prowess, but he's proving equally adept in a different kind of arena.
Clemson's senior running back had the full attention of a packed house at the First Baptist Church of Spartanburg's student appreciation night earlier this month.
Roughly 1,000 turned out to watch Spiller take the stage at The Hangar and give a short speech that revolved around living in a positive and humble manner.
He spoke about taking responsibility for one's actions, such as his decision to go against his mother's wishes and return for his senior year rather than enter the NFL draft.
"Sometimes you have to go against the grain in making adult decisions, even when it's your own mother," Spiller said. "You can't always rely on mom to make decisions. At some point, you've got to grow up and become a man."
CLEMSON - The bitterness seethed from Clemson lineman Thomas Austin as he watched television that afternoon.
It was the first Saturday in December 2007, the day of the ACC championship.
Two weeks earlier, the Tigers had been on the brink of winning the Atlantic Division - only for Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan to throw a remarkable touchdown pass with 1:46 left to give the Eagles the lead. Clemson missed two chances to win or tie in the final minute, and Boston College punched its ticket to Jacksonville, Fla.
As Austin hung out withteammates the night before last week's victory against N.C. State, they struggled to come to grips with the opportunity at hand.
"To be honest, it was hard for us to chew on," Austin said.
Chris Fry created this group on SportProjections.com. 
