BLACKSBURG, Va. — In 1995, the Carolina Panthers played home games at Clemson during their inaugural season while their stadium in Charlotte was still being completed.
Twenty-five years later it is Charlotte that is becoming a second home for Clemson.
The Tigers beat Virginia Tech, 45-10, Saturday night, clinching a spot in the ACC title game for the sixth consecutive year. This will be the fifth time in the six games that Clemson will try to clinch the ACC championship in Charlotte. The game was played in Orlando in 2016.
Clemson will face Notre Dame in the ACC title game in a rematch of a game that was played Nov. 7 in South Bend. Notre Dame won that game 47-40 in double overtime. Clemson was without star quarterback Trevor Lawrence that night.
The winner of the ACC title game will clinch a spot in the College Football Playoff. If Notre Dame loses, the Irish are expected to still be in the mix.
Against Virginia Tech, Lawrence completed 12 of 22 passes with one touchdown and one interception, but he added 41 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
Cornell Powell caught four passes for 90 yards and a touchdown, and Travis Etienne rushed for 66 yards on 16 carries for Clemson (9-1, 8-1 ACC).
