Ranking the difficulty of Clemson’s 2022 schedule

Clemson’s 2022 football schedule was unveiled Monday, which includes a Labor Day matchup with Georgia Tech to get it started, three straight home games to end it and an open date before the Tigers’ highly anticipated trip to Notre Dame. Which games …

Which games will be the toughest for the Tigers in their quest to not only get back to the ACC championship game but also return to the College Football Playoff?

The Clemson Insider has ranked the most difficult games on the Tigers’ schedule based on the where each game is being played, the caliber of opponent and each team’s personnel as of early February.

Notre Dame

When: Saturday, Nov. 5

Where: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana

Why: The Fighting Irish have a new coach following Brian Kelly’s departure for LSU, though there’s some familiarity still in place with former defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman’s promotion. And Kelly didn’t exactly leave the cupboard bare. Notre Dame does have to find a new starting quarterback, but there’s still plenty of talent (including the entire starting offensive line) returning from a team that finished No. 5 in the College Football Playoff rankings this past season. When both teams made the playoff in 2020, Notre Dame beat Clemson at home in a double-overtime thriller. The Tigers will be looking to avenge that loss, but it won’t be easy in a game that could have playoff implications depending on the seasons these teams are having when they meet.

Wake Forest

When: Saturday, Sept. 24

Where: Truist Field, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Why: The Demon Deacons are the defending Atlantic Division champions and have quarterback Sam Hartman (and record-setting receiver A.T. Perry) back to lead what was one of the ACC’s most potent offenses this past season. Now Wake gets its shot at Clemson at home after the Tigers handled the Demon Deacons with ease a few months back at Memorial Stadium. Wake has questions on defense, but Clemson’s offense, particularly at quarterback, has its share, too. This starts a crucial stretch of division games for the Tigers, and it’s hard to envision this one not being more competitive this time around.

North Carolina State

When: Saturday, Oct. 1

Where: Memorial Stadium

Why: N.C. State handed Clemson one of its three losses this past season as part of its runner-up finish in the Atlantic Division, and the Wolfpack have some significant contributors returning from that team. None is more important than quarterback Devin O’Leary, who threw for four touchdowns in that overtime win. N.C. State is losing some key pieces, too, namely star offensive tackle Ikem Ekownu, leading receiver Emeka Emezie and leading rusher Zonovan Knight. But the Wolfpack should still a contender in the division, so getting this game at home, where Clemson has won 34 straight games, certainly helps the Tigers.

Miami

When: Saturday, Nov. 19

Where: Memorial Stadium

Why: Miami rotates back on Clemson’s schedule as a cross-divisional opponent at a time when the Hurricanes may be figuring some things out. They’ve also got a new coach in Mario Cristobal, who turned Oregon into one of the Pac-12’s top programs during his five-year tenure in Eugene and now takes over a Miami program that won five of its final six games this past season. The most significant development on the field was the emergence of Tyler Van Dyke, who stepped in for an injured D’Eriq King and became one of the ACC’s best quarterbacks in the second half of the season. Van Dyke, who threw for 2,194 yards, 20 touchdowns and just three interceptions in the last six games, should make Miami a contender in the Coastal Division this fall. This game could very well turn into a matchup of division title hopefuls come mid-November.

Florida State

When: Saturday, Oct. 15

Where: Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, Florida

Why: Florida State has still yet to make a bowl game under Mike Norvell, but the Seminoles showed some progress in Year 2 of his tenure, increasing their win total by two. And FSU gave Clemson as much of a scare as anybody last season at Memorial Stadium before a late touchdown drive helped the Tigers escape. Now Clemson will make the trip to Tallahassee, which isn’t an easy place for anyone to play. The Tigers are just 2-4 in their last six games at Doak Campbell, though the two wins came in their most recent trips in 2016 and 2018. FSU has its quarterback back, too, in Jordan Travis, who completed nearly 64% of his passes and threw two scores against Clemson this past season.

Boston College

When: Saturday, Oct. 8

Where: Alumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

Why: To say Clemson has dominated this series in recent years would be an understatement. The Tigers have won 11 straight games over Boston College and 13 of 14 dating back to 2008. But the last two meetings, decided by a total of 12 points, haven’t been easy wins for Clemson, and Boston College gave the Tigers a scare last season without quarterback Phil Jurkovec, who’s returning for another season after an injury sidelined him for much of 2021. And that makes Boston College a major wild card in the Atlantic Division. Clemson still holds an overall talent advantage over the Eagles, but Jurkovec is a next-level signal caller. If the 6-foot-5, 225-pounder returns to his pre-injury form, this could be a tricky game for the Tigers on the road.

South Carolina

When: Saturday, Nov. 26

Where: Memorial Stadium

Why: This is another series Clemson has dominated of late with seven straight wins over its in-state rival. The Tigers most recently pitched a shutout on the Gamecocks’ home field. Yet South Carolina surpassed expectations in Year 1 under Shane Beamer, who got the Gamecocks to a bowl game following a 2-8 season in 2020. The optimism in Columbia has only grown with some of the talent Beamer has brought in this offseason, including transfer Spencer Rattler. The former Oklahoma quarterback was a first-team All-Big 12 selection in 2020 and a preseason Heisman Trophy favorite before getting benched in favor of Caleb Williams midway through this past season and ultimately transferring. If Rattler stays healthy and returns to some semblance of his 2020 form, this could turn out to be the most interesting Clemson-Carolina matchup in years.

Georgia Tech

When: Monday, Sept. 5

Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

Why: The Geoff Collins era hasn’t gone well so far for Tech, which has yet to win more than three games each of the last three seasons. Losing star running back Jahmyr Gibbs (transfer to Alabama) doesn’t make things any easier heading into the fourth year of Collins’ tenure. But opening games on the road can always be tricky as teams try to work out the kinks. On paper, it’s a game Clemson should win rather comfortably, but if the quarterback play isn’t better, it could make for another interesting game against Tech, which gave Clemson all it wanted last season in a six-point loss.

Louisville

When: Saturday, Nov. 6

Where: Memorial Stadium

Why: Clemson has never lost to Louisville, which has yet to have a winning record under third-year coach Scott Satterfield. But like most teams on the Tigers’ schedule, Louisville is getting its quarterback back for another season, which, as Clemson found out last season, makes the Cardinals dangerous. Malik Cunningham passed for more than 2,700 yards and ran for more than 970 a season ago. Louisville’s dual-threat signal caller torched Clemson’s normally stout run defense for 134 rushing yards and two scores on the ground, most of that coming in the first three quarters before he was injured in a narrow victory for Clemson that required a late goal-line stand. If the Tigers weren’t playing this game at home, it might be higher on the list.

Syracuse

When: Saturday, Oct. 22

Where: Memorial Stadium

Why: Syracuse has its quarterback (Garrett Shrader) and the ACC’s leading rusher (Sean Tucker) returning next season, but there just isn’t much more there from a talent standpoint for a program that’s won just 11 games the last three seasons. And Shrader, who completed a league-low 52% of his passes last season, is primarily a runner in an offense that’s largely one-dimensional, which, as the Orange found out this past season, doesn’t really work against a defense as talented as Clemson’s. That will need to change under new offensive coordinator Robert Anae, who directed the conference’s top passing offense at Virginia last season, if Syracuse hopes to be more competitive this time around at Memorial Stadium, where the Orange have lost by an average of 23.5 points in their last four trips.

Louisiana Tech

When: Saturday, Sept. 17

Where: Memorial Stadium

Why: Louisiana Tech is starting over under first-year coach (and former Texas Texas offensive coordinator) Sonny Cumbie, so perhaps the Bulldogs will be better than some expect next season. But it’s been a major struggle the last two seasons in Conference USA for Tech, which won just three games this past season and is 8-14 in its last 22 games. The talent discrepancy between these two programs is a wide one.

Furman

When: Saturday, Sept. 10

Where: Memorial Stadium

Why: This is Dabo Swinney’s annual nod to an in-state opponent from the Football Championship Subdivision, which gets a sizable payday in exchange for the Tigers getting to name their score. If Clemson isn’t able to do that against the Paladins, who went 6-5 this past season, something went terribly wrong.

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Natalie Srinivasan named inaugural Juli Inkster Senior Award winner

Natalie Srinivasan keeps adding to her postseason awards tally, most recently with the Julie Inkster Award.

The last leg of Natalie Srinivasan’s postseason awards sweep is perhaps the most telling of all. The Spartanburg, South Carolina, player found a perfect fit at Furman four years ago and has helped to bring the Paladins back to the top of college golf. For that commitment, Srinivasan has been named the first recipient of the Juli Inkster Award Presented by WorkDay.

The award, created this year, recognizes the highest ranked women’s collegiate golfer in her final year of NCAA eligibility. It rewards a college golfer who honors her commitment to her college team, as Srinivasan has.

Srinivasan already has Symetra Tour status lined up for the rest of the year. The Inkster Award comes with an exemption into the next Cambia Portland Classic (currently scheduled for Sept. 17-20). She will also have the opportunity to spend time with Inkster during a two-day mentorship retreat.

With so much up in the air thanks to COVID-19, tournament exemptions are particularly important as Srinivasan launches her pro career. For winning the ANNIKA Award, she receiving an exemption into the Evian Championship, an LPGA major.

Five players (three of whom were seniors) turned professional at the halfway point of the season after securing either LPGA status or Symetra Tour status at the LPGA Q-Series in November. Srinivasan stayed in Greenville. She won three times in the six starts she made during this pandemic-shortened season.

Srinivasan’s name continues to go down with some of the game’s greats, from Sorenstam and now to Inkster. Her game grew exponentially at Furman, a place that also churned out players like Betsy King, Beth Daniel and Dottie Pepper.

Congrats to the recipient of the inaugural Division I Juli Inkster Senior Award Presented by WorkDay, Natalie Srinivasan of @FurmanWGolf! https://t.co/Aw2ghznED9 pic.twitter.com/csCHYScbML

— Women's Golf Coaches (@WGCAGOLF) May 15, 2020

Head coach Jeff Hull said Srinivasan wasn’t the kind of outgoing player who would loudly rally the troops, but her example was invaluable for her teammates.

“She works on the parts of her game that she needs to work on,” Hull said. “She always has a plan for practice and for tournaments. She plays like a professional.”

Hull said her interaction with teammates was often one-on-one. Srinivasan made it clear she wanted to help and be a resource.

Srinivasan was the top player in Golfstat’s rankings when the season ended and ranked No. 4 by Golfweek.

The Juli Inkster Senior Award was also presented at the NCAA Division II and III levels. Tampa’s Kiira Riihijarvi was the Division II recipient while Alyssa Akiyama of Carleton won the Division III award.

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Natalie Srinivasan brings Furman to the forefront as ANNIKA Award winner

A three-win senior season boosted Natalie Srinivasan to the top of college golf. College players, coaches voted her the ANNIKA Award winner.

Natalie Srinivasan has a tendency to let phone calls go unanswered if she doesn’t recognize the number. Knowing this, Furman coach Jeff Hull told his senior a few weeks ago to make sure she answered one that would be coming in the next morning.

“I think somebody wants to interview you,” he told her nonchalantly a few minutes later. She still didn’t think much of it.

Srinivasan had just pulled up to the golf course the next day when “No Caller ID” flashed on her phone screen. She dutifully answered and would have recognized the voice right away even if, “Hello, this is Annika,” weren’t the caller’s first words.

It felt like minutes passed before Srinivasan could make a sound. On the other end of the line, Annika Sorenstam was explaining that Srinivasan had won her namesake ANNIKA Award as the best player in women’s college golf.

Srinivasan already was named the Women’s Golf Coaches Association player of the year last month. The ANNIKA Award, however, is based on a vote by her peers, plus coaches, golf media and SIDs.

“Annika’s name, it’s her award and she’s the greatest player in women’s golf, ever,” Srinivasan, said. “It’s just an honor to be associated with that. All the other girls who have won have gone on to become awesome leaders and role models in this game.”

Srinivasan grew up 45 minutes from the Furman campus in Spartanburg, South Carolina. She won three times in an abbreviated senior season that included only six starts. Playing in the Southern Conference, Srinivasan flew under the radar despite winning the league title as a freshman and earning All-America honors as a sophomore.

Sometimes it’s hard to put yourself in the category of best players in college golf. That may be easier for Srinivasan to do now. It’s different when you see it in print, whether that’s at the top of the Golfstat rankings (Srinivasan is No. 4 in the Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings) or etched onto the base of the ANNIKA Award.

The awards are piling up, and it’s hard to say what else Srinivasan might have accomplished, particularly in the postseason. She’d have every reason to be bitter about the abrupt end to her senior year caused by the coronavirus.

“Things happen and I think that’s what’s so good about playing college golf and being a student athlete, it teaches you to deal with the unexpected,” she said. “There have been so many tournaments that have gone not as I thought, professors throwing things your way, having that mindset of not being able to control it.”

A global pandemic is just the ultimate example of that. Srinivasan had attended a U.S. Curtis Cup practice session in December. She likes to think she’d have made that team – the June event was postponed a year to 2021 –but she’ll never know.

The Furman campus was on spring break when the women’s golf team returned from the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate in Hilton Head, where Srinivasan was runner-up individually, and Hull dispatched his players for a few days of rest. The next meeting they had was about the season being called off. Hull told his players to keep it sharp – the Southern Conference Championship was still a distant possibility – but eventually that fell off the table, too. Everything did.

A conversation about returning for a fifth year in Greenville was brief, Hull said. Srinivasan’s path is forward. She has Symetra Tour status and says LPGA Q-School is on the horizon. The ANNIKA Award comes with an exemption into the Evian Championship, an LPGA major.

A natural fit

Srinivasan landed at Furman as a consistent, if not all-world, junior player. Hull was the Furman assistant coach then. Srinivasan thinks he and then-head coach Kelley Hester (the same woman who recruited Stacy Lewis to Arkansas in the early 2000s) saw a talent in her, and ultimately Hull would be the one to cultivate it. He took over as head coach the same year Srinivasan came in as a freshman.

When Srinivasan climbed out of the van in Minneapolis for that first college start in the fall of 2016, she didn’t know much about how this whole thing worked.

“Nobody told me it was 36-18 until two days before we left,” she said, “so they literally threw me into the fire. Thirty-six your first college round.”

But that tournament week also included a trip to the Mall of America. Srinivasan was instantly enamored with her teammates. College golf has suited her.

The conference title at the end of her freshman season was the first of four career wins, but Hull sometimes boils her career down to just one shot: a pure 5-iron into the 18th green in the final round of the 2017 NCAA Lubbock Regional – all the postseason pressure on her shoulders.

“She hit the prettiest 5-iron I’ve ever seen anybody hit,” he said. “It just literally came off the club, climbed up in the sky, fell right on the flag. We still talk about that shot.”

When he brings it up, Srinivasan smiles, maybe gives him a nod, but generally plays it cool.

Natalie Srinivasan with Furman coach Jeff Hull. (Photo: Furman Athletics)

By the numbers

Srinivasan admits she wasn’t always sure where the ball was going when she arrived at Furman. She and Hull doubled down on her wedges, her in-between shots and go-to shots. She learned how to play much smarter, learned where to “miss it” and that you don’t always have to take less club and swing harder.

“Even when I’m not hitting it well now, I can kind of manage that with that type of shot,” she said. “Even in qualifying, Jeff will give me some ideas and a game to play with myself where I play with more club or less club depending on the hole.”

They spent hours at Furman’s golf facility, particularly on the putting green. It was an investment of time that went both ways.

“We tried to work on a couple extra shots she would need to get to that next level,” Hull said. “When she had to hit a shot, she knew she could.”

On the greens, Srinivasan spent much of the past year working on “makeable” putts, those in the five to 15-foot range. Hull says Srinivasan’s growth in mental game has been huge.

Furman has produced some of women’s golf’s greatest over the years, from Betsy King to Beth Daniel to Dottie Pepper. No Furman player has won the ANNIKA Award, first awarded in 2014. Brad Faxon, Furman alum, won the Fred Haskins Award (the men’s equivalent) in 1983.

That’s not lost on Srinivasan. If there’s any way to return the investment Hull & Co., have made in her, then this is it.

“It’s just awesome to put Furman back on the map,” she said. “It’s been a little while since we had this recognition.”

List of ANNIKA Award winners

2020 – Natalie Srinivasan, Furman

2019 – Maria Fassi, Arkansas

2018 – Maria Fassi, Arkansas

2017 – Leona Maguire, Duke

2016 – Bronte Law, UCLA

2015 – Leona Maguire, Duke

2014 – Alison Lee, UCLA

Natalie Srinivasan named WGCA national player of the year

She led the Southern Conference in wins and with a 70.78 stroke average, a full shot lower than her nearest competitor.

Furman golfer Natalie Srinivasan has been announced as the Division-I PING Women’s Golf Coaches Association National Player of the Year.

“You see all these people who win and think maybe that could be me one day and it’s just been surreal,” Srinivasan said. “Obviously I wasn’t able to finish (playing) my last semester so that’s been nice they’re still doing these postseason awards. It’s been really positive.”

The Spartanburg, S.C., native earlier this week was named a WGCA Division-I First-Team All-American, just the seventh first-team selection in Furman history and first since 1998. She is also one of 10 remaining in consideration for the ANNIKA Award given annually to the nation’s most outstanding Division-I golfer. It will be announced next month.

“First team is pretty hard to get, you have to play really well and I was lucky enough to be able to play well this year at the right time,” Srinivasan said. “That’s been really cool to represent Furman and give the name recognition.”

Natalie Srinivasan of Furman tees off during the final round of the 2017 Annika Intercollegiate golf tournament. Bruce Kluckhohn – USA TODAY Sports

Furman coach Jeff Hull said in a release, “I am so proud of Natalie for being the recipient of the PING WGCA Player of the Year award,” Hull said in a release. “She had an amazing career at Furman and for her to cap it off with this award is a testament to her hard work and dedication over the past four years. Natalie epitomizes what a student-athlete should be and has set a very high bar going forward.”

Srinivasan finished this past abbreviated season as the country’s top-ranked women’s player by Golfstat and is 14th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. She posted three victories, a solo second (finishing one back in her final Furman event at the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate at Hilton Head’s Long Cove Club) and ties for 16th and 26th in her six starts as a senior.

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She led the Southern Conference in wins and with a 70.78 stroke average, a full shot lower than her nearest competitor and her 72.6 career stroke average over 118 rounds is the lowest in Furman history. She earned a second-consecutive invitation to play in the now-canceled Augusta National Women’s Amateur and was likely to be selected for the prestigious U.S. Curtis Cup team before that event was postponed until next year.

″(The Curtis Cup) was kind of what I was looking forward to after the season got canceled and I probably would’ve been on the team so it’s unfortunate,” Srinivasan said. “But it’s been nice to have these other honors to kind of make up for that and have a little positivity right now.”

Srinivasan was the 2018 Southern Conference Player of the Year and a three-time all-conference selection. She has a 3.87 GPA in health and sciences and will graduate in May. She was the recipient of the Winston Babb Memorial Award, given by the Furman Chapter of Omicron Delta Kappa to the woman in each class who has demonstrated the most outstanding qualities of leadership, scholarship, and service to the university.

She plans on turning professional after graduation.

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