Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney stated that he “anticipates having everybody” for their huge matchup against Miami, meaning star cornerback Nate Wiggins is expected to make his return.
Leaving the Florida State game early with a bone bruise, Wiggins has missed the Tigers’ last two games. The bye week did wonders for this team’s health, as we have two returning starters as X-Factors for this matchup. If you haven’t guessed it, Wiggins is our Defensive X-Factor for this game against Miami.
Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke isn’t 100%, and we’ve seen the Hurricanes star quarterback struggle in their last two games. A game against Clemson is not a good bounce-back spot for a quarterback, especially with a CB1 as talented as Wiggins returning.
The Hurricanes’ passing attack has been strong this season, with Xavier Restrepo leading the way at receiver and Jacolby George being their big play target. With Restrepo running out of the slot, we expect George to get the bulk of the coverage from Wiggins, which should make it a long day for the wide receiver.
Wiggins’ return comes at the perfect time, as the Tigers’ secondary will be a key factor in this matchup.