By BJ Bennett
SouthernPigskin.com

Follow us at Twitter.com/SouthernPigskin.  Become a fan at the SouthernPigskin.com Facebook Page

The game-within-the-game could be game-of-the-year good.

Saturday’s Clemson-Pittsburgh game awaits as one of the most fascinating games of the season.

Overall, the setting is a surprising one. Of the two teams, it’s the Panthers that enter the weekend ranked in the national polls and favored to advance to the ACC Championship Game. Pittsburgh is not only the front-runner in the Coastal, the Panthers have a Heisman Trophy candidate in quarterback Kenny Pickett. Though the Tigers are 4-2, they, somehow, are averaging just 16.2 points per game in those contests and that is with the loss at NC State going into overtime. There many storylines at play.

The game-within-the-game could be game-of-the-year good. Pittsburgh ranks second nationally with 48.5 points per game, while Clemson slots second nationally in allowing just 12.5. It’s a very compelling pairing. Maybe even an historic one. This will be best offense-defense matchup of the college football season to date.

A big stage spotlight will be directly on Pickett. He is completing nearly 70% of his passes and has thrown for an impressive 21 touchdowns compared to just one interception. Pickett ranks third in the country in passer rating, fourth in passing scores, seventh in yards per attempt and eighth in completion percentage — all for an offense that has arguably been the game’s best. Only Coastal Carolina, with 43, and Alabama, with 41, have scored more touchdowns than Pittsburgh’s 40; the Panthers, mind you, have played one less game.

Pickett already has three games with at least 380 yards passing and and three outings with four or more touchdowns thrown. Receiver Jordan Addison ranks second in the nation with nine touchdown catches, while Lucas Krull is tied for fourth among tight ends with five scores. Running backs Israel Abanikanda, Vincent Davis and Ricky Hammond, Jr. have run for a combined ten touchdowns. Pittsburgh also has one of just five Power Five fronts that has led the way for more than 15 touchdowns on the ground and allowed fewer than ten sacks.

Clemson will counter with an absolutely elite defense yet again.

The Tigers, who held now top-ranked Georgia without an offensive point in week one, have allowed only six offensive touchdowns in regulation in six games. Clemson has a top ten pass defense efficiency rating and are giving up just 5.7 yards per attempt, with only five total scores through the air, both also good for top ten nationally. Outside of NC State, the Tigers have given up just one passing touchdown all season. Clemson, led by familiar names like Andrew Booth, James Skalski, Baylon Spector and Xavier Thomas, rank second in college football, letting foes convert just 27.78% of redzone trips into touchdowns.

From conference championship implications to Heisman Trophy considerations to status one of college football’s top programs, there is lot on the line in Saturday’s cross-division contest. When the Pittsburgh offense meets the Clemson defense, it will all be on clear display.