The Atlantic Tackles Trevor Lawrence

MATTHEW EMMONS / USA TODAY SPORTS / REUTERS
High-brow web/print hybrid The Atlantic focuses on Clemson's young superstar quarterback Trevor Lawrence and how NFL rules prohibit him from playing on Sundays.

The plain facts of his talent and his inability to make money off of it, though, fit neatly into an era of growing skepticism about the ethics of nominally amateur college sports. 

It's a good piece and it's not too long; read the whole thing.

Clemson vs. Georgia Tech: It's Finally Gameday!

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

The day we've all been waiting for is here — the opening of Clemson's football season.

The No. 1-ranked and defending national champion Tigers kick off tonight at home against ACC foe Georgia Tech. Gametime is 8 p.m. on the new ACC Network, which Sling TV doesn't offer (yet), so I don't know how I'll be able to watch. I'm hoping it gets out of hand early so it doesn't matter.

GAME PREVIEWS: Shakin' the Southland, Tigernet, Clemson 247.

SERIES HIGHLIGHTS: NCAA.com has a nice look at the Clemson-Georgia Tech series, including that heartbreaking 2004 Tiger loss in Death Valley that was probably the most apt example of the now-defunct phrase "Clemsoning."

WHERE IS CLEMSON? A great story from the Washington Post. Sample:

Evidence suggests that the proper noun “Clemson,” for so long limited to mostly regional usage, has expanded its reach in recent years. It has done so through that most American of methods: having a football team that routinely goes on television and beats the pure living hell out of other people’s football teams.

Read the whole thing.

LATEST LINE: Clemson is a 36-point favorite, which seems a bit high to me.

Predictions are Hard, Especially About the Future

What would college football in mid-August be without predictions? Here are a few.

Shakin' the Southland sees Clemson winning the ACC Atlantic Division (no surprise there).

The Tigers return a ton of key pieces on offense including QB Trevor Lawrence, RB Travis Etienne, WRs Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross, and three offensive linemen. It could be the best offense in Clemson history.

Looking further down the road, Shakin' the Southland also predicts that the Tigers will top Virginia in the ACC championship game.

Tiger Enter Season Ranked No. 1

It's official: Clemson is the team to beat in 2019.

The Tigers are ranked No. 1 in both the AP and coaches preseason polls.

As Shakin' the Southland wrote in its analysis of the coaches poll:

"We’ve arrived and now people are realizing it is 'We want Clemson,' not 'We want Bama.' ”

Here's a link to the full AP poll. Here's a link to the full coaches poll.

The Tigers open the season on August 29 with home night game against ACC rival Georgia Tech. Kickoff is at 8 p.m., and the game will be televised on the new ACC Network.