Clemson Gameday: Tigers Tangle In Atlanta

ATLANTA (AP) — Clemson’s last game was a total embarrassment. No wonder coach Dabo Swinney is only looking forward. The 14th-ranked Tigers open the season Saturday night against Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta. Clemson won the Atlantic Coast Conference title a year ago, but the season ended with a humiliating 70-33 loss to West Virginia in the Orange Bowl. Swinney says that game “is in the rearview mirror” and Clemson is more focused on reclaiming its place in the national spotlight. He points out his team lost four times a year ago, not just the bowl game, and he’s more concerned about the Tigers taking “the next step to become a consistent winner at a higher level.” Auburn is breaking in several new starters, including quarterback Kiehl Frazier. Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.