state titles.Johnson also started as a safety his ent

CLEMSON, S.C. -- This is the time of year Syracuse coach Dino Babers wants his young team to fully embrace, even if it must start at No. 3 Clemson.The Orange (4-4, 2-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) have won two straight to head into the regular-seasons final month with a bit of momentum.To be 4-4 at Syracuse University, where the games you remember are the ones in November, Babers said. We are going into November where the games matter. There is something riding on it.Theres much more at stake for the Tigers (8-0, 5-0), voted No. 2 in the years first College Football Playoff rankings this week. Clemson is looking to win its 23rd consecutive regular-season game and remain on track to win the ACC Atlantic, gain a spot in the league title game and compete for the national championship.Tigers coach Dabo Swinney said his players know they have little margin for error down the stretch.This is the championship phase of our journey, Swinney said.Syracuse is supposed to be the first of four overmatched opponents for Clemson this month. Next up is Pitt at Death Valley before Clemson travels to Wake Forest and finishes up against South Carolina.The Orange have lost their past three games against Clemson, Pitt hasnt played the Tigers in nearly 40 years, Wake Forest has lost the past seven in the series while the Gamecocks have dropped the past two rivalry games.Swinney said his team has worked since Jan. 12 -- the day after its 45-40 loss to the Crimson Tide in the national title game -- to take the final step forward to get back there again. A slip up down the stretch and those championship goals could go down the drain.Weve got a chance to clinch a division title, a chance to win a state title and play for a conference title, Swinney said. There is a lot at stake.---Some other things to watch when No. 3 Clemson plays Syracuse:ETTA-TAWOS: Syracuse receiver Amba Etta-Tawo is returning to Clemsons Memorial Stadium where he once watched his older brother, defensive tackle Etta Etta-Tawo, play for the Tigers. Ettas career was cut short when medical issues ended his football career.WATSONS RISE: The questions about Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watsons production seem to be fading with each and every performance. He threw for 378 yards -- a season high -- in each of his past two games and has completed better than two-thirds of his throws in the last three contests. Watsons not worried about the stats, just as long as they lead to victory. Im still growing as a player and a person, he said.ORANGE-COLORED GLASSES? Syracuse coach Dino Babers is prepping his team to play its best against the Tigers. Hows he like the Oranges chances? I wouldnt bet the house on it, brother, Babers, the realist, said. This is an excellent team and its at their house and theyre highly motivated. But give us a slingshot and a rock, thats all I ask.LETS GO: Expect a fast, productive attack when Syracuse has the ball. Quarterback Eric Dungey leads the ACC with 328 passing yards a game this season to lead the Oranges fast-paced offense. Amba Etta-Tawo tops the league with 1,034 yards receiving and seven TD catches. The Orange lead the ACC with 672 offensive snaps, 50 more than second-place Virginia Tech.WINNING THE CLOSE ONES: Clemson has been adept at pulling out tight games this season with five of its eight victories coming by a touchdown or less. Three of their past four wins all fit that category with a 42-36 victory over Louisville, a 24-17 overtime victory over North Carolina State and a 37-34 victory at Florida State last Saturday.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org Cheap Under Armour Shoes China . Coach Mike Munchak says Fokou stretched ligaments in his left knee Oct. 13 against Seattle, which could keep out up to five weeks even though the linebacker didnt need surgery. Cheap Under Armour Shoes Wholesale .C. Lions has come to an end. Banks told TSN on Jan 2 that he had no interest in playing out the option year of his contract with the Lions in 2014, and he again made that clear in a conversation with Lions GM Wally Buono last week. http://www.underarmourcheapsale.com/ .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. Under Armour Cheap Sale . Darren Helm scored on Detroits sixth attempt in the shootout and then Jonas Gustavsson stopped Andrew Shaws shot, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night. Discount Under Armour Shoes .Y. -- Leading 3-0 with only 11:25 left, the Colorado Avalanche committed a seemingly meaningless penalty to give the New York Islanders a power play. AUBURN, Ala. -- Kerryon Johnson was a versatile playmaker who returned kicks, ran the Wildcat and caught some passes out of the backfield as a freshman.Now, his role is more defined: Auburns featured tailback. The Tigers sophomore vaulted to the top of the depth chart entering next Saturdays opener with No. 2 Clemson following the dismissal of top returning runner Jovon Robinson during fall camp and two other departures .Johnson insists his approach hasnt changed with the more prominent role.I prepared every day like this for the past 18 years of my life, he said. I come in, I go to work, I leave. Thats just what I do. I feel like we have a lot of people on the team that do that. That was an unfortunate event obviously, but it didnt change my mind-set at all. I just maybe got a couple of more carries. Ive just got to do my job anyway.Johnson ran for a modest 208 yards last season, often taking direct snaps in the Wildcat formation. His 14 catches led Auburns tailbacks, and he averaged 27.6 yards returning kicks.The top three rushers all left for various reasons. Peyton Barber was an early entry into the NFL draft, Roc Thomas transferred to FCS Jacksonville State and Robinson was booted from the team for off-the-field issues.That leaves Johnson as the only tailback who has logged a carry for the Tigers. Auburn brought in onetime Baylor signee Kam Martin, a 177-pound speedster who anchored a 4x200-meter relay team in Port Arthur, Texas that set a national record. The Tigers also signed Malik Miller, Johnsons high school teammate, and have worked H-back Kamryn Pettway at tailback.But Johnson figures to be the workhorse. He missed most of spring practice after offseason shoulder surgery but packed on 16 pounds to report to preseason camp weighing a sturdier 211.Im real cconfident in him, Tigers receiver Marcus Davis said.dddddddddddd Hes very, very talented. Hes a guy whos really intelligent as well. He does things that I never saw other people do and Im real comfortable with him back there and confident in his abilities.Hes just a real smooth, swift guy. I know hes going to make a lot of plays.Johnson certainly did that at Madison Academy near Huntsville, Alabama. He was the states Mr. Football after rushing for 1,659 yards and 25 touchdowns as a senior and leading the Mustangs to three consecutive state titles.Johnson also started as a safety his entire freshman season after making an impression in a 7 on 7 tournament over the summer, taking over the No. 1 tailback spot during the season.Im not stupid. It took about two plays to realize hes special and he needs to be playing, Madison Academy defensive backs coach Mark Berryman said.Johnson remains one of the players Berryman cites as an example to Madison seniors for the kind of attitude that led him to spend time on the scout team even as the teams star player.Johnson displays a self-deprecating sense of humor on social media -- posting on Twitter that he started sophomore year off strong by getting lost trying to find a class on the first day of fall semester.Berryman doesnt believe Johnsons personality will change as a starting tailback in the Southeastern Conference. He also points to Johnsons runs late in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic to earn MVP honors as evidence that hes a physical runner.He ran the ball between the tackles the last two drives by himself, Berryman said. Theres a lot more to Kerryon Johnson than what you saw last year. ' ' '