Clemson vs. Florida State: A Changing of the ACC Guard?

It’s almost too fitting, too circular, and too coincidental. Yet, Clemson plays Florida State tomorrow for a chance to lock up the Atlantic Division of the ACC. Could a Clemson win signal a changing of the ACC guard?

It’s been a painful 18 years for Tiger fans waiting on their first ACC title since 1991. Tomorrow, Clemson can take its biggest step in almost two decades to bringing the crown back to Tiger Town. The fact that the Tigers and Seminoles are playing each other for the fate of the Atlantic Division is somehow fitting.

Florida State joined the ACC in 1992 and suddenly Clemson stopped winning ACC championships. Coincidence? Not quite. The Noles captured 12 ACC titles between 1992 and 2005, utterly dominating the league that was once Clemson’s to own.

The 1990s were a dark time in Clemson football under the leadership of Tommy West, and Florida State ran the ACC with impunity. Then at the end of the decade, something happened that inexplicably tied the fate of Clemson and Florida State to one another.

Clemson hired a new head coach by the name of Tommy Bowden, the son of legendary FSU coach Bobby Bowden. Since that time, the two football programs have been tied together by conference and by family name.

Slowly, Clemson and FSU grew closer in talent as father and son grew closer to being evenly matched. Finally, in Bowden Bowl IV, Clemson beat Florida State and the two programs went in seemingly different directions, with Clemson winning two of the next three games.

Clemson lost last year to the Seminoles in the midst of the tumultuous resignation of Tommy Bowden and promotion of Wide Receivers coach Dabo Swinney.

With one Bowden gone, and the elder hanging on at the end of his career, is this the end of the Bowden era in ACC football? Could a Clemson win tomorrow night even signal an end to Florida State’s long dominance over Clemson and the ACC? Are Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers the future of the ACC? Are the Bowdens and Florida State the past?

Only time will tell, but watch closely tomorrow night, because you might just get a glimpse of the future.