Clemson is having one of its worst seasons in recent history, but the Tigers still have a legitimate chance to win the Atlantic division down the stretch.

The Tigers are 6-3 overall and 5-2 in the ACC. Clemson’s offense has stalled for much of the season and has failed to score more than 30 points vs. an FBS team so far this year.

Wake Forest currently sits atop the Atlantic division with a 5-0 record, but the Tigers will get their shot vs. the Demon Deacons on Nov. 20 in Death Valley.

North Carolina State is also above the Tigers going into Week 11. The Wolfpack have just one conference loss, but they also have an important trump card — a win over Clemson back on Sept. 25 that will help in any tiebreaker scenarios.

Week 11 has a crucial matchup in this race: North Carolina State at Wake Forest. The winner will be in the driver’s seat for the division title and an ACC Championship Game berth.

Here’s a few different scenarios for Clemson fans to be aware of over the final weeks of the regular season.

Scenario 1

  1. Clemson (6-2) defeats Wake Forest (5-1)
  2. Wake Forest (6-1) defeats NC State (4-2)
  3. Wake Forest (6-2) loses to Boston College
  4. NC State (5-3) loses to Syracuse OR North Carolina

NC State would be eliminated with three conference losses. Clemson and Wake Forest would each be 6-2, but the Tigers have the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Scenario 2

  1. Clemson (6-2) defeats Wake Forest (5-1)
  2. NC State (5-1) defeats Wake Forest (5-2)
  3. NC State (5-3) loses to Syracuse AND North Carolina

This scenario seems much more unlikely. It would require NC State losing at home to Syracuse and North Carolina — two teams with theoretically nothing to play for at this point in the season. The result of Wake Forest’s game vs. Boston College would be irrelevant.

Scenario 3 — Almost

  1. Clemson (6-2) defeats Wake Forest (5-1)
  2. Wake Forest (6-1) defeats NC State (4-2)
  3. Wake Forest (6-2) loses to Boston College
  4. NC State (6-2) defeats Syracuse AND North Carolina

This is the same as Scenario 1, except the Wolf Pack are able to win out. That difference causes a 3-way tie for the Atlantic division with Clemson, Wake Forest and NC State all at 6-2.

The first tiebreaker would be head-to-head winning percentage vs. the tied teams, which is equal at .500. After that, it moves to winning percentage within the division. Clemson has one divisional loss in this scenario, while Wake Forest would have two (Boston College and Clemson).

Unfortunately for the Tigers, NC State also just has one divisional loss (Wake Forest). That means the next tiebreaker is head-to-head, which NC State would win.

Final thoughts

Clemson fans should be rooting for Wake Forest this weekend against North Carolina State. The Wolfpack holding the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Tigers is simply too powerful in many scenarios. The Demon Deacons stumbling vs. Boston College isn’t likely, but it is possible. It’s certainly the most realistic chance Clemson has at keeping its ACC title game streak alive.