Bottom 10 plays of 2010

At halftime on Sept. 18 at Auburn, no one in Jordan-Hare Stadium believed Clemson was headed for a 6-6 season.

Nor did anyone believe Auburn was headed for the BCS title game.

The visiting Tigers completely smashed the host Tigers over the first 30 minutes. And Clemson spent the rest of the season trying to rediscover the magic and dominance that marked the first half of that game, a 27-24 overtime defeat.

Even though Clemson couldn't push through and win that game, what unfolded that night was viewed at the time as a potential turning point in the program. The Tigers went on the road, in the SEC, and pushed around an emerging power on national television.

It ended up being fool's gold. Clemson failed to repeat as Atlantic Division champs and enters its bowl game in danger of its first losing season since 1998.

And it's rather fitting that plays in the Auburn game top the list of Clemson's Bottom 10 plays from 2010.

Here's a link to the Top 10 plays of 2010 in yesterday's blog.

And feel free to chime in if you think something's been missed.

BOTTOM 10

1. The double-clutch

What if Matt Skinner doesn't jerk the ball up before Chandler Catanzaro drills a 27-yard field goal, supposedly sending the game at Auburn into a second overtime?

The refs noticed the double-clutch and called a penalty, setting up a 32-yard kick that Catanzaro missed to end the game.

Maybe the Tigers end up winning. Maybe Catanzaro doesn't struggle so much on short field goals over the rest of the season.

Maybe everything is different right now.

2. The missed throw to Jaron Brown ... or the missed catch by Brown

Of course, Skinner and Catanzaro wouldn't have even been on the field had Clemson cashed in on a numbingly easy touchdown opportunity a few moments earlier.

The Tigers ran play-action and caught Auburn completely off guard. Kyle Parker rolled to his right and saw Brown all alone in the end zone. The pass ended up sailing a bit, and Brown got his hands on the ball but couldn't corral it.

Some folks said after the game that Brown should've caught it if he got his hands on it. Others, including Dabo Swinney and Billy Napier, said Parker should've made a better throw.

Either way, the Tigers were put in perfect position to win and they couldn't do it.

3. Communication breakdown

As Catanzaro lined up for a 39-yard field goal in the third quarter at Florida State, holder Michael Wade gave the all-clear for the snap without getting the standard go-ahead from Catanzaro.

Catanzaro was rushed into the kick, and he missed it. The miscue -- plus a miss from 34 yards earlier in the game -- ended up being big in the 16-13 loss.

If the Tigers don't foul up the third-quarter kick, Florida State isn't in position to win on Dustin Hopkins' 55-yard shot heard 'round the ACC world.

4. Skinner's punt snap against South Carolina

The Gamecocks dominated the Tigers in a 29-7 trouncing at Death Valley, and it might be a stretch to say things would've been much different had this play not happened.

But momentum is a tricky thing, and it shifted decidedly in South Carolina's favor with five minutes left in the first quarter. Clemson was up 7-3, but Skinner's bad snap to Dawson Zimmerman gave the Gamecocks the ball at the Tigers' 5-yard line.

South Carolina reached the end zone on the next play to take a lead it wouldn't give up.

5. Parker's first interception against Boston College

Down six in the fourth quarter and inside the Eagles' 20-yard line, the Tigers needed points. They got zilch after Parker scrambled and threw up a jump ball to the middle of the field that was intercepted.

If Parker throws the ball away on that third-down play, Clemson can trim it to 16-13 with a 36-yard field goal.

Then again, Catanzaro wasn't exactly Mr. Automatic on kicks from that range. He'd already missed from 36, and Parker said that was in the back of his mind as he made the decision to throw it up for grabs.

6. The end-zone interception at Florida State

Up 10-6 and at the Seminoles' 11-yard line, Clemson was looking to apply the dagger on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Parker threw a fade to DeAndre Hopkins on the left side of the end zone, but Hopkins slipped and allowed Xavier Rhodes to make an uncontested interception.

The throw was short, so maybe Rhodes makes the pick even if Hopkins keeps his footing.

Maybe the play shouldn't have been called at all.

7. The big bust against Miami

It's hard to win when you give up three first-half touchdowns on busted plays, and that's what Clemson did in a 30-21 home loss to the Hurricanes.

The biggest came after Clemson rattled off back-to-back touchdowns to take a 14-7 lead. Cornerback Xavier Brewer apparently thought he had safety help from DeAndre McDaniel, but he had none. Leonard Hankerson ran right down the seam and hauled in a 65-yard touchdown pass from Jacory Harris.

8. Da'Quan Bowers' offsides penalty at North Carolina

It just doesn't feel right singling out a five-yard penalty from a guy who did so many spectacular things this season, but Bowers' infraction was monstrous in a 21-16 loss in Chapel Hill.

After a pass interference call on Brewer on third-and-9, and a holding call on Byron Maxwell on third-and-7, all Clemson had to do was keep the Tar Heels from gaining 9 yards on fourth down from the Tigers' 35.

Bowers jumped, and it became fourth-and-4. North Carolina converted and ended up scoring a touchdown to cap an agonizing 14 play, 76-yard drive.

9. The long ball against Auburn

Auburn stole the game's momentum in the third quarter, and the biggest play of the third quarter was a 78-yard touchdown pass from Cam Newton to Terrell Zachery.

The play was a simple pump and go, and Maxwell bit hard on the pump. Safety Rashard Hall creep up too close to the line of scrimmage and wasn't in the same zip code as Zachery when Newton unleashed the throw.

10. The Pick-6 against South Carolina

The Tigers were down 19-7 at halftime, but they picked up some momentum after the defense forced a punt on the first possession of the second half. Parker passed to Jamie Harper for a 12-yard gain, then Harper ran for 18 yards.

On second-and-8 from the 40, Parker was blitzed and saw Harper on the right flat. He didn't see Antonio Allen, who easily intercepted the pass and took it the other way for a score that put the Tigers in a 19-point hole.

Parker didn't play again after a sideline spat with Swinney, who thought Parker should've just thrown the ball away.

LW