CLEMSON, S.C. - Clemson defensive end Gaines Adams desperately wants to put the Tigers' triple overtime loss to Miami this past Saturday out his mind. So far, he can't do it.
"I know have to get past it, but it's hard," Adams said.
That's understandable. Clemson (2-1, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) rallied from 10 points down in the fourth quarter and took the Hurricanes to three overtimes before falling, 36-30. All over campus, friends and fans tell Adams he should be proud of the effort against one of college football's perennial powerhouses.
Maybe one day, Adams says. Just not yet.
"I'm over it," he said. "But I'm not really over it."
And that's the biggest danger ahead for the Tigers and coach Tommy Bowden as they prepare to play Boston College on Saturday.
Almost every Clemson fan, coach and player recalls how the Tigers squandered a 10-point lead in the final moments at Death Valley a year ago to lose to Georgia Tech 28-24. Clemson went from an all but guaranteed 2-0 start to the beginning of a four-game losing streak that left the Tigers floundering at 1-4.
"I think we let that get us in the head a little bit," said senior cornerback Tye Hill.
This time, Hill and other upperclassmen told younger players to stay strong because there's much left to achieve.
"I'm confident that we can do some things," Hill said. "I've seen a lot of fight in this team."
Bowden's tried to point out the positives - Clemson's rally down the stretch, Charlie Whitehurst's 31 of 55 passing performance against a stellar Miami secondary, the defense recording five sacks - while minimizing the negatives like Tyrone Moss running wild for the Hurricanes with 139 yards rushing and three touchdowns.
Another thing Bowden won't bring up much this week is Whitehurst badly overthrowing wide-open Chansi Stuckey in the end zone with 19 seconds left that would've brought Clemson the victory.
Whitehurst says he relives the play and the loss driving around school. After the game, Whitehurst felt confident he made the right choice.
In the heat of the game, Whitehurst was making sure the ball wouldn't be intercepted and protecting Clemson's chance at a tying field goal.
But watching film - and replays on sports highlight shows - Whitehurst thought about the throw over and over again.
"It was tough," Whitehurst said. "I threw to the wrong guy."
Whitehurst said Miami used nearly every defender to pressure him, meaning he had several options, including tight end Bobby Williamson and tailback Reggie Merriweather along with Stuckey, for the potential winning touchdown.
Bowden met with his fifth-year senior quarterback briefly Monday, emphasizing his good overall play and making sure he stayed sharp for Boston College's first ACC road game.
"I'm not down," Whitehurst said. "My confidence isn't shaky."
Bowden is doing all he can to make sure the of his players feel the same way.
He played some of Tye Hill's words after Saturday's loss where the cornerback said Clemson would not falter in defeat as it did a year ago. Bowden told the team that if they all thought like Hill, the Tigers "would be in pretty good shape."
But Bowden won't know for sure until Saturday - "That's one of the more unsettling things" about coaching, he says.
Several Tigers lived through last year's four-game losing streak. Bowden says perhaps they've learned how to avoid it this time.
"But this team has never been in this position" of handling a close, devastating loss, Bowden said.
Bowden hopes they see last Saturday as he does - a thrilling duel between two high-quality teams that will be rebroadcast Thursday on ESPN Classic as one of the network's "Instant Classics."
For Adams, Clemson's defensive end, he's not ready to share his coach's view. The Miami game is "still there, like 'Man we lost, three overtimes,'" Adams said. "It's a tough game to lose."
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