CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) -Dabo Swinney knows his players will be jacked up for perhaps the biggest game of his short time at Clemson.
Swinney also knows the ESPN cameras, the rare night start at Death Valley or the fans excitement won't make a bit of difference against Florida State.
``The most excited team isn't going to win,'' the coach said Tuesday. ``The most prepared team is going to win.''
Few teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference have been as prepared as the Tigers (5-3, 3-2) the past few games.
After opening 2-3, Clemson has rebounded to win three straight and gain a measure of control in the ACC's Atlantic Division. The Tigers can stay solidly in front with a win over the resurgent Seminoles (4-4), who've won two straight after starting 0-3 in league play.
``None of us are going to sit here and say we're not thinking about the ACC championship and the Orange Bowl,'' Clemson tight end Michael Palmer said. ``Yeah, we understand that that's within our grasp.
``But we've got to take care of business before we get there,'' Palmer continued.
That hasn't been the easiest task for the Tigers the last few years.
In 2006, they opened 7-1 and only needed to win two of their three remaining ACC contests to advance to the league's championship game. Instead, Clemson came up short with losses at Virginia Tech and against heavy underdog Maryland.
The Tigers had an even better chance the next season, facing Boston College at Death Valley with the winner taking the Atlantic Division. Clemson held a 17-13 lead with less than 2 minutes remaining when Matt Ryan, now a star for the Atlanta Falcons, found Rich Gunnell for a 43-yard game-winning TD.
Clemson entered 2008 with a Top 10 ranking and championship expectations. However, back-to-back defeats to Maryland and Wake Forest proved too much for the Tigers and longtime coach Tommy Bowden to overcome.
Bowden walked off in midseason and Swinney was brought in as coach.
Things looked bleak for Swinney's team a month ago after an unexpected loss to the Terps - again - left it 1-2 and struggling to find itself in the ACC race. But impressive victories over then-Atlantic Division leader Wake Forest (38-3) and at Miami (40-37 in overtime) have Tiger fans counting on the title game.
Swinney's reminded his players not to get caught up in the pre-game hype of what might be.
``It's the next game, focus on us, our job,'' Swinney said. ``That's what I mean about not getting caught up in the hype and fall into those traps.''
That's hurt the Tigers before, star tailback C.J. Spiller says. Instead of paying attention to the team at hand, some Clemson players may have counted off victories before playing.
Not this group.
``We kind of like where we're at,'' Spiller said. ``We're starting to play with confidence in all phases of the game.''
Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews says facing Spiller is like planning for ``three or four (No.) 28s out there playing.''
Spiller has made it his mission as a senior to guide the Tigers through the rough spots. He had a streak of seven games with a play of 60 yards or more to start the season that ended last week when he got only five carries for 27 yards and mostly rested in a 49-3 victory over Coastal Carolina of the Football Championship Subdivision.
Spiller said his turf toe injury, sore after a record 310 all-purpose yards against Miami two games ago, feels as good as it has all season. Couple that with a reworked attitude and Spiller thinks the Tigers are capable of finishing things off the right way this fall.
``My job this week is to make sure everyone knows what they're doing so come Saturday, there won't be any problems trying to execute,'' Spiller said.
