Clemson/Georgia Tech Prediction

And now for something completely different...

In honor of College GameDay hosting this week's matchup between the Fighting Tigers and the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech, I have cordially invited ESPN's GameDay football analysts over to give us the breakdown. So without further ado, I'm turning the floor over to these fine folks - Mr. Chris Fowler, Lee Corso, and Kirk Herbstreit. Take it away, gentlemen!





CHRIS: All right, folks! We here at ESPN College GameDay are coming to you live from the wide world of Blogger.com just before we hit the road for Bowman Field at Clemson University's Memorial Stadium. I'm your host, Chris Fowler, alongside my partners in crime Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit. And folks, make no mistake, this visit has been a long time coming.

KIRK: I can't say enough good things about the Clemson Tigers, Chris. They have a run-first mentality, yet they are so balanced in every facet of the game. They are well-coached, Tommy Bowden's finally found the perfect system he's been looking for, the cupboard is stocked with athletes and experience...truly one of the finest teams I've seen this year.


LEE: Now hold on a second, Kirk! I agree with you 100%, but tell me, where did all this love come from? I believe it was you who said, Clemson against Texas A&M last year, if you get Clemson down early, they will quit. Jad Dean, last-second field goal, Clemson wins that game, they're on a roll this year. I think they made a believer out of you.

KIRK: Well, Lee, as a coach, you should know there are ways of motivating a football team to success. It's the coach's job to give his team the best possible chance to win, and as an analyst, all you've got to go on is what gets produced on the field of play. In the past, Clemson's had this knack for heart-stopping contests, these thrillers, games that would go right down to the wire. Problem is, so many of them turned into losses. Just last year, they had Miami, Boston College, and surprise surprise, Georgia Tech. What's different this year?

LEE: I'll tell ya what's different, Kirk. This Tiger team's got something last year's team didn't have. Know what that is? Killer instinct. Let me tell ya, this is not a team that plays down to its level of competition. No sir, these Tigers stomp opponents into submission and then kick 'em when they're down. Florida Atlantic, North Carolina, Louisiana Tech. Not-so-hot teams make you think you can sleepwalk your way through 'em? Not this day and age, baby. On any given day, the underdog can win, and Clemson knows it, they've been there, and now they're on the fast track to learning how to play like the hunted.

CHRIS: Well guys, take one look at the stats, and you can see the many levels of success the Clemson Tigers have had this year. They lead the nation in points per game and are ranked in the top 10 in both total offense and total defense. As for the ACC, it's a virtual laundry list. Clemson leads the conference in total offense, touchdowns, rushing offense, scoring offense, first downs, third-down conversions, sacks allowed, pass efficiency, total defense, pass efficiency defense, and QB sacks.



LEE: About the only thing that ain't so special is...pardon the pun...special teams!





CHRIS: Lee, come on, I expect better than that from you.




LEE: Fuggeddaboutit! Look, you let Temple of all teams run wild on your kickoff coverage, then I'm sorry, sweetheart, but your special teams are pee-yew pathetic! Linebackers getting blown off their lanes like dust mops, guys not knowing who to tackle over-pursue their blocks. It ain't good when the Temple Owls are not afraid to return kicks five yards deep in the endzone 'cuz they know Clemson can't stop 'em!


KIRK: If I'm not mistaken, Lee, it got so bad at one point against Wake Forest that Clemson started doing squib kicks every time they kicked off. And considering how often they tend to score, that's gotta weigh heavily on their defense to constantly face a short field.



CHRIS: So we know what Clemson's glaring weakness is. Probably every team, every assistant coach, and every kid with access to a PlayStation 2 knows about it. Let's go back to their strengths.



KIRK: What isn't a strength, Chris? Obviously, the rushing attack speaks for itself, they've got playmakers in James Davis and C.J. Spiller, who spurned his home state of Florida on signing day to join the Tigers. Could've heard a gator snap in that room. Davis, ACC Rookie of the Year in 2005, and now he's even stronger and reads his blocks so much better this year. And Spiller? Hot on his heels with 407 yards through seven games, and he gives Clemson that dual threat to catch a screen pass out of the backfield, as we saw with his 82-yard touchdown reception against Boston College.

LEE: Hey hey, not so fast, my friend! You can brag on the backs all you want, but let's not forget the hogmalies who really make the magic happen. That's the offensive line. Without that experience, that speed, that toughness, and the ability to get to the second level against that defensive front, I don't care how talented your tailback is, he's gonna get stuffed! Roman Fry, Barry Richardson, Marion Dukes, Dustin Fry, and Nathan Bennett. Guys on the O-line are the ones who spring the tailback by giving him those big, gaping holes to run through. They make the magic happen, but the back just makes it look easier.

KIRK: And just in case you're thinking about stuffing the box against the run, look out. Will Proctor, the QB, he can throw the football. The fifth-year senior who played benchwarmer to Charlie Whitehurst, now serving as backup to Phillip Rivers with the San Diego Chargers, had been patient and done whatever he could to help his team to victory. Now it's finally his turn to lead the offense, and he's met and surpassed all expectations. The receiving corps is shaky with playmakers like Chansi Stuckey and Rendrick Taylor injured, but he's got some sure-handed wideouts in Aaron Kelly, Tyler Grisham, and all-around speedster Jacoby Ford who are all a threat to get some big receptions. You must respect Clemson's passing attack as well as the run.

CHRIS: And how about the job that Vic Koenning has done with Clemson's defense? Early this year, folks were ready to write them off after losing starters Tramaine Billie and Anthony Waters at linebacker, and then lose Michael Hamlin, their starter at CAT safety, against BC. The Tiger D looked to be dead in the water. So far, it's been anything but. Vic Koenning has adjusted and said, okay boys, this is how it is, we've lost a few playmakers, but we're not missing a beat. Now they have Hamlin back, and they look to be more dangerous. Granted, they've played some soft competition, but I like what I'm seeing.

KIRK: Like you said, Chris, this visit has been a long time coming. If Clemson wants to establish itself as a frontrunner in the ACC as well as the BCS picture, winning games like this has to become the norm rather than the exception. They've got the tools to get the job done, they're in the running for the ACC crown, but today they've gotta go through unbeaten Georgia Tech.

LEE: Yo! My hat's off to Chan Gailey and his staff, to drop a close one to Notre Dame in the season opener and go on to win five straight games including a 38-27 dismantling of Virginia Tech - hey, weren't they supposed to be a good team this year? - speaks volumes about Georgia Tech's resilience, ability to bounce back after a tough loss. And here they are!

CHRIS: And a lot of that success can be attributed to John Tenuta, their defensive coordinator who's got his boys focused on stopping the run. Tommy Bowden complimented them earlier this week, saying his offense would be seriously challenged by Tenuta, and he's absolutely right. The Yellow Jackets rank seventh in the nation in stopping the run, giving up just 71.7 yards, and you're lucky if you ever get into a comfort zone against them because they come at you with so many different schemes, they pressure you, they stack the box with five, six guys; it's a big reason they were able to hold Clemson in check last year.

KIRK: Yeah, but Chris, you've gotta remember one thing. The X-Factor. James Davis. Injured his wrist last year, played only one snap, make no mistake, he's the difference-maker in this ballgame. Have the Jackets faced a back like Davis this year?



CHRIS: I don't think so, Kirk. They're going to have their hands full trying to contain him. Should be fun to watch.





LEE: Hey, and let's not forget, Georgia Tech has a dangerous offense as well. Senior QB Reggie Ball has come a long way from years past when he'd make rookie mistakes, throwin' the ball into double or triple coverage, trying to force the big play, And Kirk, you say Clemson's got an X Factor. Well, my friend, I hate to burst your bubble, but the Jackets have an X-Factor all their own and his name is Calvin Johnson. You can't say enough good things about his performance. He could be a dark horse for the Heisman Trophy this year. Yo! The kid can flat out play.

CHRIS: You might remember, and many Clemson fans would like to forget, that Johnson burst onto the scene back in 2004 when these teams played in Death Valley. Clemson's botched punt gave Tech the ball with 11 seconds left. Reggie Ball hit Johnson who outjumped Clemson's star corner Justin Miller for the touchdown grab to win the game for the Jackets, 28-24. Michael Hamlin, the safety, held him last year to four catches for 46 yards, so they might use a similar strategy this year.

KIRK: The Jackets lost their star running back P.J. Daniels to graduation, but this year Tashard Choice is showing he can be just as productive. 502 yards on the ground, averaging 84 yards per game, and six touchdowns. The Tigers must not overlook Tech's rushing attack because they can either run with Choice, or Reggie Ball can scramble out of the pocket and hurt them.



CHRIS: Okay, let's discuss the game itself. You never would've thought back in early September that Clemson and Georgia Tech would end up fighting it out for positioning in the ACC Championship race. The projected frontrunners have fallen by the wayside. As you remember, the Yellow Jackets stunned Virginia Tech, Florida State's had its setbacks, And Miami, wow, I tell you, they've all but vanished from the good graces of football. The biggest humiliation? Duke may actually give them a workout today.

LEE: *snicker*






CHRIS: Something funny, Coach?







LEE: Boy oh boy, wouldn't that be something, sweetheart, and Clemson would love nothing more than to lose that stigma as the last I-A team to be defeated by Duke. Sorry, Tiger fans, But fuggedaboutit, it ain't happenin' today. Miami rolls.




KIRK: Indeed Chris, this game could very well be a preview of what we'll see in the December contest in Jacksonville. Lots of interesting matchups to look for today. Here's what I think: Clemson got where they are because of a committment to power football. They have stuck to their strengths, spread the wealth between their talented backs - hey, let's not forget, they've got a senior tailback in Reggie Merriweather who rolled up 128 yards in last year's meeting, is always a threat to go the distance - and have forced defenses to compensate by stacking extra defenders to plug up the holes. Now not only does their offensive line win that battle, but once you relax on the coverage, that's when Will Proctor will beat you through the air. He's poised, he is accurate, and he knows how to be patient in the pocket. The one thing that concerns me? These teams play each other so close that it could very well come down to special teams. And as we all know, that's Clemson's sore spot. If they continue to give up big returns on kickoff coverage and defend a short field all night, Tech's going to hurt them. But as long as they keep the pressure on with the power running game and Proctor makes smart decisions throwing, I think Clemson pulls out the win.

CHRIS: You all know me, I'm the first one to look at the stats, compare the teams on paper and see how they match up, and stats-wise Clemson appears to have a clear advantage. Against Georgia Tech, you can throw the stats out the window. These two might have the nation's most underrated rivalry. From 1996 to 2001, each game was decided by exactly three points. nine of the last ten by five points. When the Tigers and the Jackets clash, sparks are gonna fly, big plays will come fast and hard, and I say it will come down to who wants it more at the end. Which young man is going to step up big for his squad? Will it be James Davis? Calvin Johnson? Or like in years past, will a new star be born tonight? With Reggie Ball's ability to make things happen and the multiple threat he represents with his ability to scramble, I say Georgia Tech is the last one standing.

KIRK: All right, Lee, it's the moment we've all been waiting for. What's Corso's pick?




LEE: Good teams are the teams that treat each game like it's the biggest game, whether it's Temple or Florida State. Good teams don't quit on defense after the playmakers on offense pour it on. Good teams know how to gameplan well enough to disguise their weaknesses and ensure that they won't be a factor in the outcome. Death Valley, sellout crowd, Homecoming, that extra incentive...my friends, I say the Clemson Tigers are a good team.





And that's why I'm pickin' the Tigers to win it!






KIRK: Hey, that head looks good on you, Coach. You want to try on my tie with that?





LEE: Ha ha! Don't push it, Kirk. Go Tigers!






CHRIS: All right, we have Corso's pick of the game. And that about wraps it up for this preview of ESPN College GameDay. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed bringing it to you. Once again, I'm Chris Fowler, with Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit, signing off! We'll see you live in Clemson, SC for Saturday's epic battle between the 12th ranked Clemson Tigers and the 13th ranked Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech. You won't want to miss it. Until next time, so long, everybody!


Disclaimer: This blog entry is meant to be a parody and does not in any way reflect the opinions of Chris Fowler, Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, ESPN, or any other sports analyst. Regardless, I hope you got a nice laugh out of it.

Oh yeah, and in case anyone still wants my prediction...

Clemson 24
Ga. Tech 20

Clemson/Temple Prediction

I'm not even going to bother breaking down this one. If Clemson comes out and executes their gameplan, Temple should be a walk. Give the starters a break and let the 2nd and 3rd string carry most of the weight. Want to see Reggie run. Get Jad's confidence up. And for heaven's sake, let's try to field a punt while we're at it!

Clemson - 49
Temple - 3

Clemson/Wake Forest Prediction

Sorry for whining so much in my last post. It had been a while since I put up a "what's going on in my life lately" blog, so it all came out in a huge jumbled mess. God is faithful, and He's going to work things out. I trust in Him.

Anyway, I'm posting my weekly GameDay prediction a little earlier than usual. Why? Because this weekend is a very special weekend.

Last year, on October 7th, Anna Kate took me on a tour of the Clemson campus. We walked in a persistent rain, ate some Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream in her University Center, and viewed Death Valley from perhaps the best faraway spot there is. Then we went back to her apartment in Central (about 10 minutes from campus) and watched The Sound of Music together. And when we made it to the dancing scene (the one where Maria teaches Kirk to slow dance), I got up the courage to ask her the question I had been debating for quite a while.

"Anna Kate?"

"Hmm?"

"Would you, um, be interested in ... you know ... being my girlfriend?"

*smile* "Yeah! I would."

" ... G-Great!"

Heh heh. That's more or less how it went down. And this coming Saturday is October 7th, so Anna Kate and I will be celebrating one full year of being boyfriend and girlfriend. As it worked out, she's going with her family to the Wake Forest game in Winston-Salem on Saturday, so we arranged to celebrate a day early, meaning Friday. And that's why I'm posting this now, so I won't have to worry about it later.

Okay. End of digression. I promise.

Much has been made of the Tigers' struggles with the Demon Deacons in recent years. Some have called Groves Stadium Tommy Bowden's personal house of horrors. Everything that could possibly go wrong has gone wrong in our contests there. We've had INTs bounced off wide open receivers, the ball plucked right from the hands of our QB, blocked punt, botched fake FG try...it's like we're snakebit up there. Or more aptly, demon possessed.

You'd have to go back to the year 2000 to remember a time when we completely dominated Wake Forest (55-7). In the years to follow, we squeaked by with scores of 21-14 (Charles Hafley sealed it with an INT in the 4th quarter) and 31-23 (on Homecoming, and we needed Brian Mance's forced fumble to stop Wake from scoring late). Then things turned ugly.

It was a dark day in Tigertown when Wake systematically took us apart in a 45-17 stomping in Winston-Salem in 2003. We surrendered 321 rushing yards to them and had three turnovers on five possessions in the first half. I was working at Chick-Fil-A, and I distinctly remember listening to the game over the radio. I was in shock. This couldn't be the Clemson Tigers I knew. Surely I had the wrong station or something. We don't lose to Wake. It just doesn't happen. But it was true. Even the final score didn't do justice to how badly we were beaten that day.

We speculate to this day that were it not for "The Finish" (a four-game winning streak including victories over #3 Florida State, South Carolina, and #6 Tennessee in the Peach Bowl), Tommy Bowden would be coaching prep ball in some private locale out in the Midwest right now. Clemson coaches don't tend to fare well when they lose to the Deacons. So we scheduled them first in 2004 at Death Valley, hungry for revenge. But as we well know, revenge only lasts up to that first snap when you get punched in the mouth. Wake Forest clawed back from 16 points down and scrapped with us tooth and nail until we finally got the upper hand, 37-30 after two overtimes.

But the nightmare was not over. 2005. Back to Winston-Salem. In many ways, this was worse than two years ago. Whereas the Deacons exposed us then, we clearly had the better squad last year. We took a 27-21 lead going into the 4th quarter only to blow it late and watch them drive the ball back to claim victory, 31-27.

What is it about Wake Forest? Why do we seem to self-destruct every time we play against them? Maybe they are jusr that good. Nah, that's Chicken logic. Maybe it's their misdirection. Or our lack of motivation. Or both.

Whatever the reason, we've clearly got some demons to exorcise this Saturday when the Fighting Tigers travel ... again ... to Winston-Salem (scheduling quirk due to conference expansion) for a showdown with Wake Forest.

The Deacons are 5-0, a rarity for them, but I won't be fooled. Those wins have come against the likes of I-AA Liberty, Southern Miss, UConn, and hapless Duke (and they needed a blocked FG to defeat the Blue Devils). Riley Skinner is their starting QB in place of the injured Ben Mauk. He's second only to Will Proctor in passing efficiency in the ACC and has yet to throw a pick this season. Chris Barclay is gone, and their projected starter at RB, De'Angelo Bryant, is also hurt, leaving freshman Kevin Harris and Micah Andrews to pick up the slack.

Despite their competition, Wake is not to be taken lightly. I sound like a broken record when I say that, but we have every reason in the world to give them our full attention. A win here would have big implications for us. A lot of top-25 teams above us are poised to fall in ranked competition Saturday, meaning we could perhaps find ourselves knocking on the Top 10's door if we win. No room for error in the ACC. And we really owe Wake.

This is from a friend of mine who frequents the Clemson message boards:

"There is only one undefeated team in the ACC. Beofre I being, I'd like everyone to pause and reflect on that.

One undefeated team in the ACC. And they stand squarely in our path, like a bull trying to stare down a locomotive. If you've ever seen the outcome of that collision, you know it isn't pretty.

And I don't expect next Saturday's outcome to be any less disturbing for Wake.

Last Januray, when the schedule came out and I first called for the Wake jihad, I did not anticipate it would so thoroughly crush Wake's hopes. You see, our game aside, I really like the Deacs. I like their mutant mascot, sort of an unholy coupling of the DNA of Richard Kiel and Mr. Peanut.

I like their cozy stadium despite the absolute lack of portapotties in the tailgating area. I like the fact that of all the times I've gone to Groves, handshakes have way outnumbered insults after the game.

I like most everything about Wake...except the outcome. So when the 2006 schedule was released, and it included another road trip to Groves, I decided this was enough.

This losing at Wake Forest crap had to stop.

And I firmly believe it will. There will be none of this "roll our helmets on the field and Wake will fall down dead" belief by our team. There will be no looking ahead (to Temple? right!) or looking back (at La. Tech? right!)

There is only an unbeaten bull sitting in the tracks. Roaring and snorting, full of confidence because he chased Mr. Green Jeans out of his pasture.

Well, Wake, this ain't Mr. Green Jeans. This is the orange-clad He11bound Express, and it's got a first-class ticket punched for your season.

At times I feel sorry for the Deacs. This week they'll be whistling past the graveyard. This week they'll be the guys looking back to previous years (bank on it ... every one of them will be looking for comfort to 2003 and 2005) and looking ahead to how they'll tear down the goalposts after their miraculous mauling of the kitty kats in Groves.

They're like kids the week before Christmas, not knowing that their parents have spent all the Christmas money on liquor and cigarettes. There's nothing under the tree but empty boxes and crushed hopes.

Look down the tracks. That small dot you see on the horizon is orange, not red. It's not a jolly sleigh with magical reindeer, but a crushing machine being pulled by five of the biggest meanest offensive linemen you've seen in years.

It's coming, flinging footballs and pain and grief.

It's the Gee-Haw'd, long promised and now arrived.

So, enjoy this week, Wake. You've earned the right to boast a bit. You're the only unbeaten team in the ACC.

Just watch the calendar. Christmas is coming early and you, my little bulls, are standing in the tracks. Roar and snort all you want, wear all the black you wish, but Santa is coming to town.

And he's gift-wrapped you a one-size-fits-all box of pure he11 to be opened no earlier than noon Saturday.

Ho-Ho-Ho!

Gee-Haw'd!"


What more can I say?

It's payback time, Deacons. You're going down hard. The hex ends here.

Clemson - 35
Wake Forest - 24

Whirlwind

That would pretty much describe my life these days. A swirling, devouring vortex of stuff that hits me all at once like a freight train, leaving me sucking wind. All I can do is watch it happen, pick up the pieces, and go forward.

It's funny. Since I was a kid, the most common thing I dreamed about was tornadoes. Probably because it was at the ripe old age of five years that I became a Weather Channel freak and watched them on the TV constantly. But I never actually saw one face-to-face (although I had a few close calls - i.e., tornado warnings. They never panned out). It wasn't until I closed my eyes at night and passed into that hazy realm called R.E.M. sleep - you know, the place where you dream - that they came to life. Tornadoes. Vivid and threatening as the real thing.

Fast forward seventeen years. Still have yet to meet a tornado. But right now, I'm counting my lucky stars, since life itself seems to have transformed into its own funnel. Who knew life was as unpredictable as Mother Nature?

On the heels of my summer internship at FBC, I dove straight into Early Experience, student-teaching at Mauldin High School. It's been a valuable experience, and I really like my mentor teacher; she's extremely understanding and sympathetic. But it's a daunting realization. Like your journey to adulthood has officially begun. You know it has been on the horizon all of this time, but only now do you get the tangible proof that its coming. Ready or not.

Four weeks of EE and ED Practicum seminars at Furman spilled over into Freshman Orientation Week (not that it directly applies to me anymore. Being a senior and all...), and before I could even take a breath, my final year was upon me. I predicted last spring that fall term would be epic, and I'd be lucky to get through with my sanity intact. I was right. It's as crazy and ridiculously tough as I thought it'd be, and then some. Thankfully, the whole going insane part hasn't come true yet. Who knows what I'd do if that happened? I'd probably climb to the top of the Bell Tower, scream my lungs out to some invisible force in the sky like a B-level movie actor, and plunge headfirst into the putrid cesspool that is Furman Lake. Yes, setting foot in Furman Lake qualifies you as insane.

I'm reading eight books and 20+ page [Adobe] articles in just one of my English classes, have a separate list of books to read both for information's sake (which I'm much more inclined to do when I'm not so 'under the gun') and for a presentation and inquiry essay for my ED Practicum, a host of annotated bibliographies that I haven't even glanced at yet, a community profile on Mauldin that's due in the next few weeks, an eight-page paper I'm working on right now, and I just had the first of my Environmental Science exams this morning. And that's only the present. In the near future...well, I'll get into that later. Let's just say it will involve teaching. Actual teaching.

All this means that I've had to sacrifice quite a bit in order to get a handle on things. One of those activities was BCM. This was a slow and painful sacrifice. Think "Road to Golgotha" painful ... okay, maybe not counting the lashings from the soldiers. My ED-51 class is on Tuesday nights. No TNT. And things just kept piling up. Last Monday, I made one of the hardest decisions I have ever experienced. I resigned from BCM Leadership Team. It wasn't something I wanted to do; I never imagined it would come to that. The big culprit was my schedule, but there were a few other matters that led to my decision. I'm not going to detail them here because I'm still trying to figure it out for myself. I'll just say that some people and things weren't what I thought, that I can't be friends with some people because they misinterpret it to mean something else that is flat-out wrong and doesn't make one bit of sense, and it just hurt and shocked me deeply the way it unfolded. I know that's pretty vague, but it's the only way I know how to describe it right now.

*sigh*

Sorry if I'm boring you with all this. You're probably thinking "So quit wasting your time with this blog and get to work, you bum!" I guess I just needed to vent a little and put some things in perspective. If this is what a tornado feels like in a figurative sense, I hope I never experience the real thing.