Unless Auburn makes a run into the College Football Playoff, it won’t have to worry about playing Deshaun Watson again.
The quarterback is one of four Clemson junior leaving school early for the NFL draft, coach Dabo Swinney announced during his Tuesday new conference. Auburn will travel to face Clemson on Sept. 9, 2017, as part of a home-and-home series between the two teams.
Last year, Watson became the first FBS quarterback to gain 4,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing. He finished third in Heisman Trophy voting and took Clemson to the CFP title game, where it lost to Alabama.
The junior threw for 248 yards and rushed for another 21 in Clemson’s 19-13 win at Auburn to begin this season. Clemson is undefeated and No. 2 in the CFP rankings.
Watson is from Gainesville, Georgia, just about 40 miles from Athens. He could have ended up as an SEC quarterback playing for Georgia, but the Bulldogs’ late entry into his recruitment cost them a superstar player and ultimately had a role in coach Mark Richt’s firing.
Watson has twice beaten South Carolina in its yearly rivalry with Clemson, and the two teams will face off again Nov. 26.
Marcus covers SEC football for Saturday Down South.
