Clemson Football: 3 bold predictions for ACC Championship vs. Pittsburgh

CLEMSON, SC - NOVEMBER 24: Teammates Hunter Renfrow #13 and Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Clemson Tigers react after a play against the South Carolina Gamecocks during their game at Clemson Memorial Stadium on November 24, 2018 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CLEMSON, SC - NOVEMBER 24: Teammates Hunter Renfrow #13 and Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Clemson Tigers react after a play against the South Carolina Gamecocks during their game at Clemson Memorial Stadium on November 24, 2018 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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1. Brent Venables will have Tiger “D” ready

If you listened in over the past week to press conferences involving either Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney or defensive coordinator Brent Venables, you heard stern words towards the defensive unit. Neither were satisfied, to say the least, about a recent 56-35 victory over in-state rival South Carolina.

Much like when they hung on to defeat Texas A&M earlier this year, Clemson surrendered plenty of passing yards to Jake Bentley. Nevertheless, they still earned the win and enter the contest allowing just 14 points and 283 yards per game.

Venables will have his unit fired up and on its toes to take on a Pittsburgh offense scoring just under 28 points a game. The Panthers are averaging just 153.4 yards passing, so the focus will be on containing the run, which Clemson has done this year to the tune of 84.8 yards allowed per game.

Unless the Panthers can pull off some trick plays like Boston College did earlier this year, or Kenny Pickett all of a sudden transforms into an elite quarterback, Pittsburgh will find the going tough all night against the Tigers.