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Well the obvious would be at N.C. State, and since it's obvious -- and will undoubtedly be on all the "Trap Game" lists between now and the start of the season -- we feel compelled to go with a less obvious matchup.

Like, say, the Nov. 25 trip to Columbia.

Yes, this probably seems crazy to anyone who witnessed that televised execution last year in Death Valley. Yes, these two programs seem light years apart in the talent department as we documented in a column a month ago after Xavier Thomas' commitment to Clemson.

But this is still college football, a sport in which motivation plays a significant role. And it's hard to think the Gamecocks didn't draw all-consuming motivation from the 56-7 hammering they absorbed last November.

Look: Was it easy for Clemson fans to make fun of the "Never again" takeaway from their rivals after that bloodletting? Absolutely. Did it make almost no sense that the Gamecocks were so up in arms about the arranged curtain call that came with, oh, seven minutes left in the game? Affirmative. Is it smart for their coach to be so publicly chippy about Clemson, saying "Game On" after the Tigers win the national title? Probably not.

If this game were tomorrow Clemson would be favored by double digits. But the Tigers were supposed to beat South Carolina by 40 the last time they went to Williams-Brice and they had to scratch and claw to get out of there with their undefeated record intact.

On paper, Clemson should beat South Carolina handily. But this sport isn't played solely on paper. Emotion and motivation are significant factors as well.