Toronto Star
· collected 2026-10-01 · by Steve Reed The Associated Press
No. 4 Miami and Clemson will clash this Saturday night in Death Valley as both teams aim for sole possession of first place in the ACC after each secured a perfect start in conference play with two wins apiece. Despite Clemson's significant home-field advantage, they are currently listed as an underdog, reflecting the strength of Miami’s offense, which averages nearly 600 yards per game and has scored 207 points while allowing only 36. Meanwhile, Clemson’s defense, having improved since a season-opening loss to LSU, now allows just 12.3 points per game in their three-game winning streak, making the matchup highly anticipated for both its offensive prowess and defensive resilience.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-02,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
No. 4 Miami missed out on an opportunity to play in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game last season after midseason losses to Louisville and SMU came back to bite the Hurricanes, leaving them on the wrong side of a tiebreaker.
asserted
losses → miss → tiebreaker
The Hurricanes (4-0, 2-0 ACC) seem determined not to leave any margin for error this time around.
asserted
Hurricanes → seem → error
Last year’s national championship runner-up has been dominant so far, outscoring opponents 207-36 with the closest game being a 33-20 victory against Wake Forest.
asserted
game → outscore → Forest
Miami has the country’s top offense, averaging nearly 600 yards per game.
asserted
Miami → have → game
Duke transfer Darian Mensah is completing 88.7% of his passes while averaging more than 300 yards passing per game with 14 touchdown passes and no interceptions.
asserted
Mensah → complete → passes
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said Miami’s offensive numbers are just “unreal.”
asserted
numbers → say → ?
“This is a team that, in my opinion, really don’t have any weaknesses,” Swinney said.
asserted
Swinney → have → weaknesses
“It’s a really, really talented football team across the board.”
asserted
It → ’ → board
Clemson’s defense allowed 51 points and 644 yards in its season-opening loss at No. 11 LSU but has improved since.
asserted
defense → allow → LSU
During its current three-game win streak the Tigers have surrendered just 12.3 points and 282 yards per game and did not surrender an offensive touchdown in Friday night’s 24-10 win over Cal.
asserted
Tigers → surrender → Cal
Beating perennial ACC power Clemson (3-1, 2-0) in Death Valley on Saturday night stands as a crucial next step for the Hurricanes in their quest to reach the ACC title game for the first time since 2017.
asserted
Beating → beat → 2017
Miami and Clemson are the only two 2-0 teams in conference play, so the winner takes over sole possession of first place for now.
asserted
winner → take → place
Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal said his team won’t be taking Clemson lightly despite what happened in the LSU game.
asserted
what → say → game
“Certainly they didn’t get off to the start they wanted in game one, but since then have been playing really high-level football in a lot of different ways,” Cristobal said.
asserted
Cristobal → get → ways
Clemson a big home underdog, largest ever under Swinney
There was a time when Clemson was unbeatable at home, winning 40 straight games at Memorial Stadium during one span from 2016-22.
asserted
Clemson → be → 2016
But the Tigers enter this one as a 17 1/2 home underdog, the largest ever in the Swinney era.
asserted
Tigers → enter → era
It’s also the worst underdog point spread of the Swinney era regardless of site.
asserted
It → ’ → site
With QB Tait Reynolds still developing, Clemson likely to lean on run game
Tait Reynolds took over as Clemson’s starting quarterback in Week 3 and has orchestrated wins over ACC foes North Carolina and Cal, but remains a work in progress.
asserted
Reynolds → develop → progress
Clemson’s offense ranks 120th in the FBS for points per game (21) and 127th for total yards per game (314) despite having two of the country’s most explosive wide receivers in Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore.
asserted
offense → rank → Jr.
Clemson has relied heavily on its running game, defense and special teams to get back on track.
asserted
Clemson → rely → track
Running back Gideon Davidson, who has run for a combined 326 yards and three touchdowns in Clemson’s three wins, has Cristobal’s attention.
asserted
who → run → attention
He can accelerate.
asserted
He → accelerate → ?
He runs behind his pads, runs through tackles, rarely gets tackled by the first guy.
asserted
He → run → guy
Explosive,” Cristobal said.
asserted
Cristobal → say → ?
“... He presents a tremendous threat on any given touch to take it to the house.”
asserted
He → present → house
Hurricanes getting healthier entering this week
Miami running back Mark Fletcher Jr., a preseason AP All-American, and defensive tackle Ahmad Moten Sr. are expected to return after sitting out last week’s win over Central Michigan with injuries.
asserted
Jr. → get → injuries
Fletcher leads Miami with 230 yards rushing and three TDs while averaging 6.4 yards per carry.
asserted
Fletcher → lead → carry
Moten is a key cog up front for Miami and has three three tackles and half a sack this season.
asserted
Moten → have → tackles
Both of Clemson’s home games this season have been marred by two-hour lightning delays, with the Georgia Southern contest not ending until after 1 a.m. and the North Carolina win serving as longest in school history.
asserted
win → mar → history
The National Weather Service forecast for Saturday calls for a 70% percent chance of precipitation and showers are expected during the day with possible thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening.
asserted
showers → call → afternoon
“It’s been a weird year,” Swinney said.
asserted
Swinney → say → ?
“We’re kicking off at 7:30, and it’s one of the earliest kickoffs we’ve had all year.
asserted
we → kick → kickoffs
We’ve had two 9:30 kickoffs and a 10:30 kickoff (on the West Coast at Cal).
asserted
We → have → Cal
It’s just insane.”
asserted
It → ’ → ?
The Aporia
