Clemson/South Carolina Prediction

Ah, rivalry week. There's nothing quite like you. It's the one time out of the year when all pretense of civility between opposing teams vanishes. On that one day, you're either in one camp or the other. No grey areas. Bowl bids and conference titles are thrown out the window, only to be remembered after the scoreboard goes black. This is the big game. For state-side dominance. Superiority. Bragging rites. The pail. The bucket. The trophy.

I'm among those who hate the very idea of Clemson and South Carolina, along with most other big-name rival schools, playing their season finales on Thanksgiving weekend. The theory is to generate national exposure. I say that will come only when both teams consistently generate note-worthy seasons that people outside the Palmetto State will take notice of. That hasn't been the case more often than not. 2000 might have been the last year both Clemson and USC were ranked or sported impressive win-loss records. Michigan and Ohio State is a big draw for a reason. The whole #1 vs. #2 thing. They are big-name schools, and they've got the records to prove it.

But nevertheless, Thanksgiving weekend it is. Shouldn't change anything, though. Beautiful Death Valley will still be at a fevered squall as Carolinians far and wide, neighbor and friend, newcomer and vet, come together for the annual Battle for Palmetto Pride, as the Fighting Tigers face off against their nefarious nemesis from down south: the Gamecocks of South Carolina. Round II between Tommy's Jedi Knights and the evil Sith of Darth Spurrier.

Clemson fans have reason to worry, though, as the Force hasn't quite been up to par in recent weeks. Solo and Skywalker - um, James Davis and C.J. Spiller - have each experienced off days since that rousing triumph over the neanderthal Chewies of Georgia Tech. The offensive line has lost the chip on their shoulder. Proctor needs a big game desperately. Meanwhile, the chickens look more like X-wing star fighters these days. Ever since Blake Mitchell returned to the starting QB position, their offense went from anemic to powerhouse seemingly overnight. Sydney Rice is a huge threat again. So is Kenny McKinley. And Cory Boyd. No telling where Syvelle Newton may line up. Could be anywhere from cornerback to tailback to wide receiver to quarterback. Mr. Do-It-All.

Needless to say, I'm less optimistic about this game than I was a month ago. We've lost the aura of invincibility built up against creampuffs like Florida Atlantic, UNC, and La. Tech. The book is out on how to stop the Tiger offense. USC, after being shelled early in the year behind a patchwork offensive line, is hitting its peak and looks like a team on fire. Their own mistakes are all that kept them from beating the likes of Arkansas, Tennessee, and Florida. Poor Middle Tennessee State took the brunt of their frustration last week. Not good news for us Tigers hoping to catch them reeling as usual from the Orange Crush. They'll be ready for us. They're overdue for a win.

Plus, it's Spurrier. Darth Visor. Say what you will about him, but the man is still a brilliant coach. What he's done with a USC squad drowning in question marks at the beginning of the year is nothing short of amazing. Don't let their 6-5 record mislead you. Sure, they've looked questionable at times (*coughWoffordcough*) but we prefer to remember what they did to Florida in the Swamp. Came within a blocked FG of overtime. Possibly an upset.

So it's going to take more than our history in the rivalry (63-36-4. Four in a row. Eight of the last nine. 14 of the last 18. In case any lurking Cocks need a reminder), the mystique of Death Valley, Howard's Rock, the orange pants, and the gods of Howard, Bradley, and Phillips to pull us through. We'll need every weapon in the arsenal. It's going to be a grudge match. I'm already bracing myself for that.

OFFENSE

Clemson: Bread and butter remains the running game. Davis and Spiller, as previously stated, need to return to the dynamic duo they once were. Reggie Merriweather needs to get some carries, and with it being Senior Day, I look for that to happen. Proctor's inexperience has been exposed and he has not looked comfortable sitting in the pocket, but he finally threw deep against NC State and tried out some new tricks. Chansi Stuckey and Tyler Grisham are our go-to receivers, but Aaron Kelly also has shown a propensity for coming through in the clutch. Offensive line misses Roman Fry, no doubt, but they're still the strong back of the team. With Brandon Cannon returning from a minor injury, he'll get some more reps with Chris McDuffie in filling the void that Fry left.

USC: Amazing what a difference a QB change makes. But that's what Spurrier is known for. Blake Mitchell is a classic drop-back passer, and his downfield vision has improved dramatically since Miss. State and Georgia. His number-one target, All-America candidate Sydney Rice, is now joined by a number two: Kenny McKinley. I've watched him quietly turn into a capable receiver who can make difficult catches and gain lots of yards on contact. Cory Boyd is a rumbler; he'll steamroll you if you try to arm-tackle him. Mike Davis has shown improvement the more times he's touched the ball. Running game has been inconsistent, however, with an average offensive line.

Honestly, it's hard to say who has the better offense at this point. It will depend on whether either team plays to its strengths with success or adjusts accordingly if that plan fails. If Clemson softens Carolina up enough with the vertical pass to unleash their rushing attack, they win. If the Gamecocks plug up the running lanes and get plenty of heat on Proctor, they win. Spurrier tends to be the better halftime adjuster and the one more willing to make a change if things aren't going right, but will it be enough to contain Davis and Spiller? And possibly Merriweather?

Edge: Even

DEFENSE

Clemson: Vic Koenning's zone defense gives up big chunks of yardage, but usually prevents TDs or big plays. Against USC's playmakers, that won't be simple. Look for more snaps with Gaines Adams moving inside, and Phillip Merling and Ricky Sapp bringing pressure from the corners. Nick Watkins is a terror at deflecting passes thrown at or near the line of scrimmage. Antonio Clay is showing Tiger fans why he was such a big-name recruit as he and Maurice Nelson have stepped in for the injured Anthony Waters and prevented a significant drop-off. Duane Coleman loves to hit people in the secondary; he might not always read the play correctly, but if the QB picks on him, the wideout better be ready to take a shot. Everyone knows Michael Hamlin and C.J. Gaddis as the duo that shut down Mr. Calvin Johnson. They've got their work cut out for them against Rice and McKinley.

USC: Casper & Jasper. Now there's a catchy tandem. The McBrinkley boys have made a name for themselves at defensive end and middle linebacker, frustrating the fool out of Florida QB Chris Leak two weeks ago. Jordan Lindsey joins Casper in bringing the heat from the corners. Fred Bennett is rock-steady at cornerback and looks to be an All-SEC candidate. But the big news on this side is the apparent success of Syvelle Newton's switch to free safety. I was amazed at how well he picked up the new position; it's hard to tell how much is mechanics and how much is his raw athleticism, but he left me impressed. Carlos Thomas has made plays, but is often prone to overpursue and jump out of position. I don't remember if he played last week against Middle Tennessee State.

People still say Clemson's secondary is a questionable spot, but few QBs have had success passing on them. As I see it, the main thing holding back USC's defense is recurring mistakes. The Arkansas game featured a long TD pass that two USC defenders had covered, but ended up bumping into each other. The key for Clemson will be to get off the field on third down to sustain energy. Despite impressive strides made against the Gators, Carolina has been vulnerable to the pass. Look for Proctor to follow Erik Ainge's blueprint with a few bootlegs under center.

Edge: Clemson

SPECIAL TEAMS

Clemson: Kickoffs have become more strategic with Cole Chason pooching kicks toward the sidelines to ward off huge returns, which our coverage team have been prone to surrender. His punts have been consistently better this year, but as I always say, the best news out of your punter is when you don't need him. Jad Dean's FG woes appear to be gone for good, as he is back in top form with a shored-up protection unit. Jacoby Ford is always a threat to break a big one, but has made some bad decisions with fielding punts. C.J. Spiller doesn't always have the best hands.

USC: Ryan Succop, as a Tiger fan, I sympathize with you. Three blocked kicks against Florida is a major cause for concern. Sure can't blame it on the lack of a special teams coach (so leave Tommy alone about that). At least two of those kicks were on Ryan, as he was slow getting up to the ball during the snap. Before that, Succop was a weapon, juggling punts, FGs, and kickoff duties with ease. Cory Boyd, again, won't go down on first tackle, so kickoff coverage had better get three or four hats on him. Mike West has more in the way of breakaway speed.

Before the Florida game, I would have given the edge to Carolina on Succop alone. But it seems he's inherited Dean's earlier problems with kick protection. Will it affect his performance if the game's on the line? Hard to say. And while Boyd can shake off the initial hit, Clemson's multiple speedsters are bigger threats to turn the tide of battle with a touchdown.

Edge: Clemson

COACHING

Clemson: Tommy hasn't let the loss of an ACC title shot and BCS bowl deter him, keeping the team focused on what's left to accomplish. Say what you want about his coaching, but a major thing in his favor is that he gets this rivalry. He knows its importance, and it's the one game you can guarantee he's got his players fired up about.

USC: Spurrier to Miami? Not likely, but we'll wait and see after the game. Naturally, he's not going to invest any truth in that rumor when so much is at stake for his squad. USC needs this game more than Clemson to cement a bowl trip. Forget what he says about winning the SEC; they want to beat Clemson more than anything right now.

I can't stand him, but I have to tip my hat to the ol' Ball Coach. When Cock 'n Fire sputtered earlier this year, he broke the norm, put Syvelle at QB, and went to a run-first mentality that often worked. Now that the pass attack has awakened with a fury, he's got a lot of cards in the deck, and the mastermind to employ them skillfully. If this comes down to who makes the best game-time adjustments, Spurrier wins, no contest.

Edge: USC

OVERALL

Well, I've broken down the game, looked at all the stats, intangibles, and other data sets that get thrown out the window when these two rivals clash. And yet again - I'm scared to make a prediction.

Last week, I brought in my bichon Izzy, out of total desperation, to predict the NC State game because I didn't know which Tigers would show up, being the Jekyl/Hyde bunch that they are. And wouldn't you know, the little rat - er, darling came out a winner on her first try.

And so once again, despite my painstaking analysis, I find my hands tied. And I turn the game prediction over to my new good luck charm, Izzy. C'mere, girl!

Blech! Watch the face, Izzy.

All right, girl. It's up to you. We're gonna do this a bit different from last time. Clemson vs. South Carolina. Who's going to win? We'll say one puppy kiss for Carolina. Two puppy kisses for Clemson.

IZZY SEZ: *lick lick*
Clemson 35
South Carolina 28

GO TIGERS!!!

Clemson/NC State Prediction

Well, last week sucked, didn't it? Few games are more infuriating than the ones in which you know you're better than the opponent, yet they snatch victory away when you can taste it. The one-point curse has bitten Clemson twice now. And sadly, this upcoming matchup with the Fighting Tigers and the Wolfpack of North Carolina State has all the makings of another close one.

At this point, I'm almost hesitant to make a prediction. I know Clemson is the better team and by all rights should beat NC State like eggs in a bowl. But that all depends on which Clemson team takes the field. Will it be the Tigers who made a national statement by clobbering Georgia Tech in front of GameDay with a fierce intensity that sustained itself all game long? Or will it be the team that bogs down in the red zone and can't throw a vertical pass to save their life? Will Davis and Spiller shake out of their slump and hit the running lanes like they once did, or will their once-impenetrable offensive line fail them yet again? Which Will Proctor will we see? The one who had the deer-in-the-headlights look as he slid to avoid contact five yards from any oncoming defender? Or the one who made believers out of us with back-to-back solid games against Boston College and Florida State?

I really can't say. We had everything on the line last week and still choked it away. What's left for motivation? A 10-win season and a decent bowl is nice, but it's no substitute for an ACC title game birth and BCS bid that was in our sights. Playing in Death Valley is always an advantage, but after last week's poor showing and yet another noon start time, will our fans show up loud and proud this time?

It's time for a change. Time to shake things up.

So this week, I'm going to do something drastic. My bichon puppy Isabelle ("Izzy") is a die-hard Clemson fan, and she's got the feistiness of a Tiger. Out of sheer desperation from sorting out so many variables that could or could not play a factor in tomorrow's contest, I'm turning the weekly game prediction over to her.

C'mere, Izzy!









All right, girl. Clemson vs. North Carolina State. Who wins? One bark for State, two barks for Clemson.





*bark! bark!*



You heard it here, folks! Izzy predicts a Clemson victory by a score of 28-20!

GO TIGERS!

Prayer Requests (and Clemson/Maryland Prediction)

I confess that my mind isn't so much on game predictions right now. My thoughts are centered on two special young people named Hannah Sobeski and Andrew Kinard. If you haven't heard their stories yet, please visit their personal websites at www.caringbridge.org/ because they will truly inspite you as they have me.

Hannah is a senior at Dorman High School who was diagnosed with sarcoma this past spring. She's had a tumor in her stomach that fluctuated in size throughout the summer after getting bombarded with five rounds of chemo. By a miracle of God, her body improved dramatically, and she was able to eat solid foods again after being on a limited (mostly liquid) hospital diet for so long. She was even able to return to Spartanburg and to the friends and family praying fervently for her, and she was named Homecoming Queen at Dorman. However, she has recently taken a turn for the worse; the tumor has doubled and is in a position to take over her body. A sixth treatment of chemo probably would do more harm than good in her fragile state. Her aunt has described Hannah as being in "the eleventh hour" now. Her faith, and her family's faith, is strong, and she rests secure in the knowledge that no matter what, God will be glorified. Whether God heals her or calls her home. She rests in the palm of His hand.

Andrew and his family are members of First Baptist Spartanburg; I learned about his story in a message from Taylor Cox. He was stationed in Iraq as a 2nd lieutenant in the Marine Corps and he was on his way out for a routine patrol when he and three officers under him were hit by a road bomb, an incendiary explosive. Andrew was unconscious and close to death from massive blood loss when a helicopter picked him up and flew him to the hospital. He even went into cardiac arrest at one point before the doctors stabilized his condition. He's lost both of his legs and had surgery to repair damage to his abdomen, but thankfully there was no brain damage or spinal injuries. He is presently recuperating at Bethesda Military Hospital in Maryland. From what little I know about him, Andrew is an active person by nature, and dealing with the loss of his legs will be a long and trying process. But despite his critical wounds, he is alive and expected to be all right. Praise God for sparing his life.

I don't know what it was or how it came about, but God drove me to pray especially for Hannah and Andrew last night. I've long since quit trying to explain these sudden urges, but choose to accept that they are Spirit-led. After spending about an hour or two on my English paper, I read up on Hannah and visited Andrew's website. All at once, I wanted to go outside. To walk. To pray. It was freezing cold, and the wind cut like a blade, but I didn't care. I paced the Furman Mall up and down several times for half an hour before squatting on the Chapel steps and bowing before God in silent prayer. I had no words to say, and so I let my heart cry out and listened for His presence. I prayed for God to show His glory through Hannah, the people she has inspired, the anguish she is experiencing, and be nurtured in her hope. I prayed for God to work His healing touch through Andrew, that he would feel strengthened by a power not his own, but from the Holy Spirit, and that he too would be used of God, even lying helpless in a hospital bed, as a servant for His work, and a living vessel for the love of Christ.

Pray for my Dad too, if you would. I just found out this evening that he has been having chest pains in the last 24 hours. Worried, my Mom took him to the hospital where they did blood tests and an EKG. There was nothing that turned up, but they agree that something is wrong. I'm concerned it may be his gall bladder. But just pray that whatever it is will either resolve on its own or be discovered fast enough to prevent any scary emergencies.

Now ... I'm tapped out, but I'll do my best to give a coherent game prediction.

Clemson came back to Earth last Thursday after getting the tar kicked out of them courtesy of the Virginia Tech Hokies. I'm not throwing in my lot with those who blame Will Proctor, Rob Spence, Tommy Bowden, or any of the other usual scapegoats that have surfaced. Proctor is our man, and will continue to be our QB because he is our leader. Tommy and the assistants had a sound game plan that didn't work. It happens. We got beat. Badly. It's not one person's fault. All that's left to do is to get off the mat and swing a hard right at our next opponent.

Maryland is not the same team that got lit up like a Christmas tree by West Virginia (who in turn got lit up by the Louisville Cardinal last night. Turnabout is fair play) earlier this year. Ralph Friedgen is still at the helm, and that's more than sufficient cause for concern. He is an offensive genius who always manages to play teams close, and although he doesn't have the athletes and talent that used to pull those games out, that doesn't mean they are any less dangerous. In fact, they might be more dangerous now than before, as they've "quietly" snuck up the charts. Clemson has every reason to give the Terrapins their full attention. Their title hopes are on the line. They can not afford another loss. And after the debacle at Lane Stadium, I feel assured saying they've got something to prove.

No doubt the Terps will attempt to copy the Hokies' method by stacking eight to nine men in the box to stuff our running game and make Will beat them. But their defenders are not nearly as athletic as Virginia Tech's, although they are certainly as big. We have Thomas Hunter back in the lineup. He'll be instrumental in helping the O-line free up lanes for James Davis and C.J. Spiller to explode through. Look for Will to go vertical more often and to toss some long balls to Chansi Stuckey and Aaron Kelly now and then. And I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a somewhat forgotten young man named Reggie Merriweather step to the plate to remind us of what he can do.

The defense should concentrate on pressuring QB Sam Hollenbach. He's not the dual threat that Reggie Ball and Riley Skinner are. That should help linebackers Clay, Nelson, and Conner to pin their ears back and provide aid if needed. Coleman and Hamlin must be watchful because Maryland's not lacking in capable, big-play receivers.

Bottom line: the Fighting Tigers are wounded following Virginia Tech. Their pride is at stake. It's November in Death Valley. Tommy's teams have a knack for finishing strong. Here's hoping that holds true for one that also started strong. Clemson comes out a tad sluggish at first, but with a boost from the home crowd, they kick it into gear and send the Turtles scrambling back into their shells.

My prediction?

Clemson 28
Maryland 17

GO TIGERS!

P.S. If you're a Tiger fan, do us a favor and pull for Wake Forest tomorrow. We need them to beat Boston College. Go Deacons!

Clemson/Virginia Tech Prediction

[re-posted from Facebook]

Blogger seems to be down for some maintenance. So I'll have to make use of Facebook's Note feature to post my latest game prediction. I hope you had fun with Corso, Herbstreit, and the gang last week. So Corso's not a jinx after all...

Anyway ... it's another short turnaround for the Fighting Tigers as they venture up to Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, VA to take on the Hokies of Virginia Tech. It's our second Thursday night game of the season and second one in three weeks. Coming on the heels of an emotional win last Saturday against Georgia Tech, I'd normally be scared to death of yet another tough match a mere five days later. But these Tigers have inspired me in so many ways this year. They have a cool, business-like manner in games they've won and they've done an exceptional job staying focused despite an injury epidemic that refuses to die. Think about this.

If you had told me we'd be 7-1, 4-1 in the ACC at this point, having lost Anthony Waters and Tramaine Billie at linebacker, Michael Hamlin for three games, Chansi Stuckey, our leading wideout, for two, OL Roman Fry, Rendrick Taylor, and now Thomas Hunter, I'd never believe it. But we've done it. That's outstanding. Sure looks like Tommy knew what he was talking about when he harped on facilities so much to boost our recruiting. It's paying big dividends in the depth we have now.

So there's no danger of a letdown, I don't think. But still, there are other things that scare me.Virginia Tech's "Beamerball" style of play is almost tailor-made to exploit what has been our glaring weakness all year: special teams. No one is more confident than they are of blocking punts and returning kickoffs for touchdowns. I remember in the 2001 Gator Bowl when they swarmed our punter Jaimie Somaini and tackled him for a huge loss. They've got to be licking their chops at our sometimes shaky field goal protection that has already been vicitmized once this year. The special teams play was better against Georgia Tech, but that doesn't mean we've fixed the problem. We'll get a more definitive answer tomorrow night.

Other than special teams, Tech can be intimidating on defense. They rank 22nd in the nation in stopping the run, but after watching our O-line make lunchmeat out of Georgia Tech's vaunted defensive front (without Roman, no less) I think we can handle them. No doubt, their scheme will be very similar to the Jackets. Stack the line up front to clog our running lanes and force Will Proctor to throw the football. He looked a bit rattled on Saturday, and he's still putting too big a blimp under his throws, so that could be a problem. But having Chansi back will be a huge boost. We'll miss Thomas Hunter, though. If he doesn't play, we lose one of our most reliable catchers as well as someone who can take defenders out with his body.

On offense, the Hokies are a mixed bag. QB Sean Glennon ranges from average to mediocre. If we can get to him quickly and force him to make bad decisions, it could be a long night for him. But RB Brandon Ore could be difficult to hold down. He's a hard-hitter who ranks second only to James Davis in total yards per game and his style reminds me a lot of Reggie Merriwether. We'll need our linebackers Clay, Nelson, and Conner to wrap him up quickly while Gaines and Phillip focus on bringing pressure to Glennon from the outside corners. If I were Vic Koenning, I would seriously consider starting Crezdon Butler at corner. He hits hard and has excellent coverage instincts for a freshman. But I'm not Vic, thank goodness. So I'll trust that he knows what he's doing.

On paper, Clemson has the advantage. But paper doesn't factor the intangibles. Five-day turnaround. Blacksburg. Bad weather conditions. Walking wounded. A fourth-quarter struggle is very possible. Still, the Tigers should pull through and escape Lane Stadium with a hard-fought win over the Gobble-heads. My prediction?

Clemson 20
Virginia Tech 17

GO TIGERS!