Clemson Quarterback Shines Spotlight On Hometown Cartersville

CARTERSVILLE, GA — Like most small towns in Georgia, SEC football reigns. The Georgia Bulldogs are arguably the favorites.

But there's a soft spot in this small town for ACC Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, a Cartersville High School graduate.

“We are proud of him,” Michelle Parker told the Clemson Insider in October. “We all follow what he is doing over at Clemson.”

No. 3 Clemson rolled into the College Football Playoff field after defeating No. 23 Virginia 62-17 in the ACC Championship Game last weekend. The defending national champion Tigers (13-0 this season) have won 28 games in a row and head to the college football playoffs with chance for a third crown in four years.

But Lawrence hasn't let it all go to his head.

“Clemson and Cartersville are really similar, I think, as far as just good people who love football. It is kind of what brings people together,” he told the Insider.

The Clemson Tigers will head to the CFP for the fifth straight year following the win at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. Clemson is also the ACC champion for the fifth straight season and a conference-record 19th time overall.

Lawrence set an ACC title-game record with his four touchdown throws and had 302 yards passing, his second-best total this season, and completed 16 of 22 passes before coming out in the third quarter, according to the AJC.

Cartersville roots for its favorite son, even if he’s not playing for their Bulldogs. “It’s funny,” says Missy Rogers, the manager of 4 Way Lunch and, according to her red UGA Yeti mug, a Georgia supporter.

“A lot of people come in here and they’d never liked Clemson," she told Sports Illustrated. "Now, they’re for Clemson.”

The Tigers will play Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl.