1. How the forecast can change in a hurry.
We began this feature a week ago by indicating how Clemson had shifted recruiting focus away from pushing top targets to a November game this season, audibling to attract a large portion of their pertinent offers for the primetime top-10 clash against N.C. State.
Then Hurricane Ian barreled into the picture, and the threat of torrential downpour conjured memories of the 2015 Notre Dame deluge as well as raised credible questions about which recruits might still come -- and whether those that did might theoretically have a miserable time as a result.
By late in the week, though, indications held that the worst would be past Clemson by the time ESPN's showcase night game kicked off.
Save for ominously dark clouds over the scoreboard horizon during warm-ups, it wound up a perfect night for the Tigers on so many accounts.
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Skies were clear. Death Valley, seemingly starved for a compelling competitive match-up that came with considerable build-up, produced an energy and intensity the likes of which it hadn't housed in a couple of years. The experience was undoubtedly enhanced through the new LED lighting and scoreboard.
And Clemson stamped its spot back in the College Football Playoff discourse by pulling away from the Wolfpack in a second half that featured ample offensive and defensive highlights.
Week over week, the story of the Tigers has taken extreme turns.
Here's this week's theme: Clemson is a hot ticket again.
The Tigers took aim at 2024 recruiting and beyond with its guest list.
They hosted 22 four-star juniors, three four-star sophomores and another couple of freshmen firmly on major radars. All told, 29 attending juniors hold power conference offers.
Clemson has offered 29 juniors total; 16 were on hand.
Dabo Swinney spoke to the whole group before kickoff, conveying the message that the Tigers do things in an uncommon way.
A lot of schools want to give you what you want, Swinney told the audience. Clemson seeks to give the young men what they need.
It's a message that resonates, well, with the prospects and families the Tigers have already largely identified as potential matches.
Bookmark this: We aren't going to cover every single visitor in this edition, and we'll touch on many more names in the coming days as we roll out additional coverage.
Through our conversations and communications with contacts on all sides of the equation, we're going to hit the most substantial developments coming out of the weekend.
Let's go.
2. Cornerback play was a huge talking point going into the State contest.
The next wave is one of the bigger themes coming out.
Tampa (Fla.) Carrollwood four-star Tavoy Feagin traveled to Clemson on Friday to beat the weather threat and ensure the visit transpired.
Feagin (5-11, 175), ranked No. 98 nationally by Rivals.com, nabbed the Tigers' opening offer at the position this cycle.
Alabama, UGA, Ohio State, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Miami and Oklahoma count among his numerous offers.
We have framed Clemson as holding significant traction with Feagin because recruiting is about relationships, and the Tigers have plenty of them.
Feagin's father, Michael, played defensive back at Alabama from 1995-99 -- during which time Swinney was a Tide assistant coach.
But that just scratches the surface for the connections. Clemson support staffer Andrew Zow was Michael's quarterback, and Feagin's father likewise crossed paths with Mickey Conn, Woody McCorvey, Danny Pearman and strength coach Paul Hogan.
So let's just say a lot of stories were shared this past weekend.
Feagin visited Florida last month, and the Gators have presented the greatest threat. On Sunday, Feagin tweeted that he is going to a school that fits him.
