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by Joe Johnson
Oct 2, 2005

The second guessing will go for a while at Clemson. When coach Tommy Bowden called for a fake field goal against Wake Forest with the Tigers were up by three, the warning bells went off. Clemson's Jad Dean, one of the most accurate kickers in the ACC this season, already hit from 21 and 47 yards. But with 2-1/2 minutes left and facing a fourth-and-seven, Bowden elected to go for a first down with a trick play. It didn't work and Wake Forest got a great boost when cornerback Alphonso Smith tackled Dean for a loss. That play ignited Wake Forest and deflated Clemson. Wake Forest worked its way down the field for the game-winning touchdown as Cory Randolph, who started his first game of the season, hit Kevin Marion in the right corner of the end zone for the go-ahead score. So instead of winning a close game, Clemson lost a game that was winnable.

After the game, Bowden defended his decision by saying he wanted to get a first down and win the game. Three points there instead of nothing still may not have made a difference if Clemson allowed Wake Forest to drive for a touchdown anyway.

But the psychology of kicking off and defending 75 or 80 yards is much different than having to defend only 66 yards. That extra 10 or 15 yards is huge. It's an extra first down. But it's all for nothing as Clemson lost its third straight game.