CLEMSON, S.C - Defensive end Gaines Adams wants to revel in Clemson's new top 25 ranking and big victory over then-No. 17 Texas A last Saturday night. But he can't help thinking about last season, when improbable losses followed amazing wins.<br>
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``We had a big win at Miami,'' said Adams, recalling the Tigers' 24-17 landmark victory at the Orange Bowl last November. ``And then we came back the next week and lose to Duke.''<br>
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As unbelievable as it sounds, Clemson did indeed fall to the Blue Devils, 16-13.<br>
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And for all the confidence the Tigers gained a week ago, Adams knows how quickly it could disappear with a flat effort Saturday at Maryland (1-0) in their Atlantic Coast Conference opener.<br>
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``We can't have that lazy mindframe after beating a ranked team ... and lose to an unranked team,'' he said.<br>
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The Tigers (1-0) entered The Associated Press poll at No. 25, their first appearance since early last season. Clemson was No. 15 in the 2004 preseason poll and slid to 20th after a 37-30 victory over Wake Forest in overtime. The following week, the Tigers held a 10-point lead over Georgia Tech with about two minutes left.<br>
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But then Clemson gave up two touchdowns and fell to the Yellow Jackets, 28-24. The loss started a four-game slide.<br>
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These Tigers remember all too well the problems of a year ago.<br>
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``The guys, they know the sense of urgency is there,'' said Chansi Stuckey, who returned a punt for Clemson's only touchdown. ``We know we've got to forget about the A not look ahead or behind, just concentrate on the game at hand.''<br>
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Although Clemson hadn't opened with a victory over a ranked team since beating North Carolina 20-18 in 1959, coach Tommy Bowden didn't look at last week like his club proved itself.<br>
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``That was a test against Texas A Bowden said. ``The true test is when we can win a championship game.''<br>
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Right now, Bowden says, he's most interested ``to see if we can solve the problems (against Texas A and improve on those.''<br>
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And there were problems.<br>
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Clemson needed a record-setting game from kicker Jad Dean he made all six of his field goals, including a 42-yarder to win the game with 2 seconds left and a steady, ground it out performance by the Tigers offense to overcome the Aggies.<br>
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Bowden said in pre-game planning with offensive coordinator Rob Spence and defensive coordinator Vic Koenning, he told them he could let Dean go with as much as a 57-yard field goal attempt. ``A strong wind, I might go even more,'' he said.<br>
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Several of those kicks came at the end of lengthy drives where Clemson could not bust it over the goal line. ``I would be concerned after three or four games,'' Bowden said of the lack of offensive touchdowns. ``It is not a concern after one.''<br>
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Stuckey, Clemson's junior receiver, says the team has gained the poise and experience to execute at key moments. Look at how the defense, with the Tigers trailing 24-22, held Texas A to a three-and-out series. Then Clemson freshman tailback James Davis took over, gaining 33 of his team high 101 yards to give Dean a crack at the victory.<br>
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``You could look at everybody's eyes,'' Stuckey said. ``Nobody was nervous, nobody was like, 'Oh are we going to win.' Everybody on the sidelines kind of knew that Jad was going to come through.''<br>
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For their effort, Dean was named the ACC's special team's player of the week while Davis earned the conference's rookie of the week honor.<br>
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Adams, Clemson's defensive end, doesn't want hurt like he did after the Duke loss. ``People talking bad about you and saying that you had a (lucky) game against Miami,'' he said. ``We play good against Maryland and hopefully, good things happen'' this season.<br>
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(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
