Sunday sermon: Blood and entrails and the promised land.

Oct 21, 2007, 8:43 AM

This morning, I reckon everyone feels a little like Charlton Heston strolling out of Egypt.

Yesterday the army of Clemson flexes its might and gives the Valley of Death a sacrifice. That sort of ritual disembowlment is usually only seen at the end of cheap black-and-white World War II movies.

At the same time, Vanderbilt -- the Duke of the SEC -- handed the SEC hopes of our feathered Philistines a one-way ticket to Holly Farms. If there's a better combination of fates, I'd sure like to hear it.

Then listen up. It gets better.

For those who might have been too drunk with the Chippewa spoils and chicken feathers to check elsewhere, some major changes took place elsewhere. Changes that affect the Tigers' march into the promised land.

* Florida State officially got the fork of doom. Not that we needed to worry about the Noles anyway, but their loss to Miami closed the crypt door on their chances for a division title.

* Maryland officially placed themselves on deathwatch by being unable to stop a 90-yard Virginia drive in the closing minutes ... in their own stadium. Anyone looking for solace for last year's loss to the Terps might find it there. I don'tpersonally ... the only thing that will erase that los would be for us to go Chippewa on the Terps as well. They've still got us ad BC, BTW. Can't see anything better for the Turtles than Tires this holiday season.

* Wake Forest won ... and looked pretty dang good doing it. Sure it was Navy, who barely beat Duke, but Wake was solid on the ground and in the air. This is going to be an amzaing game, should both of us keep winning. They've got the Hoos the week before the Deacs come to the Valley...let's see if the Chessmaster can soften up another foe for us.

* BC was idle. It was easily their worst weekend of the year. They get the Hokies next Thursday, meaning we go into Maryland knowing how close we are to an ACC title game.

Remember the painful loss last year? Clemson can return the favor on Maryland, officially driving a dagger into their title hopes next weekend. Like the chosen children, we can wander up to that Sodom and Gomorrah of college football and purify our past, while paving a path for our future.

Or we can lose heart, lose sight of our goal and lose everything along the way. Both fates are possible.

We are the children of Clemson emerging from the wilderness. Difficult times and doubt have split our ranks, but when things looked bleak we have proven what we can do.

As we prepare for the the wicked wasteland of College Park, somehow, things feel right. It hasn't felt that way for quite a while, but it just feels right.

The sons of Clemson can feel it as well. This is ours for the taking, Tigers. Stretch out your hand and grasp what is set before you.

Let the entrails of our enemies become the grease for our wagons. Let their cries be drowned by our laughter.

March forth and conquer.

It is time.