CLAWS vs. PAWS - Week 2

 

Weekend of September 7, 2013

THE COCK-A-BOOSTER PICK:

Clemson is so easy to read and predict.  You can see their big wins and big losses coming a mile away.  So it was an easy choice last week to take them beating the Athens Dawgies.  The Cockabooster had it 38-27 and if Georgia doesn’t get a mop-up TD against the prevent that was on the money.

So how about this week with such a big betting line?  S. C. State is not going up there to win obviously, but I doubt they (or Clemson) wants them to be just humiliated.  The Tigers will probably work on some new wrinkles and treat this contest as a glorified practice. 

So outside of the band at halftime there won’t be that much excitement and I don’t think Dabo the Crazy runs up the score.  I will take the points.

Clemson 56, SC State 7

THE TIGER SWAG PICK:

Clemson is the talk of the nation following their win over Georgia last week.  They are ranked #4, Boyd tops many of the Heisman polls, and the bandwagon is getting heavy.

This week, Clemson will look to continue that momentum as they welcome SC State and their band into the Valley.  Boyd, Watkins & Co. will look to have some early success, and then turn things over to the youngsters.  Meanwhile, the defense will be looking for marked improvement and more consistency.

In the end, Clemson gets everything it wants: offensive momentum, defensive consistency, and a roster full of snaps.  One thing they won't get is a win against the spread.  This number is just too big for a team with holes on defense, and looking to gain experience on offense.  I think Clemson will crack the 50 point mark, but SC State will score a touchdown or two to keep them within the 52 point spread.

Clemson 59, SC State 13

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THE COCK-A-BOOSTER PICK:

Dealing with Georgia this year was a no-win situation for the Gamecocks.  The Dawgs were missing key players at Clemson who now are off suspension just in time to play us.  They were clearly focused on the SEC opener instead of the non-conference trip to Tigertown.  Predictably, they bumbled and stumbled around, giving away a key touchdown and missing a critical snap on a 2nd half field goal.

None of that will happen Saturday.  Aaron Murray will “find himself” at home and we’ll get their best game.  The good news is that everyone has now written off Jadeveon Clowney so he also will bring his best effort.  The bad news is that Connor Shaw on the road looks a lot like Aaron Murray on the road.  I would imagine that Mark Richt is smart enough to realize that.

Jawja will force Connor Shaw to step up and lead us to a win.  I hope he does, but until it happens I can’t confidently predict it.

Georgia 28, South Carolina 26

THE TIGER SWAG PICK:

Just three games ago, Georgia was one play away from playing for a National Championship.  Last week, Georgia played a pseudo National Championship elimination against Clemson to the backdrop of Gameday, ABC, and the most beautiful campus in America.  Unfortunately, they lost both of those games.

This week, reality sets in.  They will not win the National Championship, their players are mysteriously injured after first downs, their psyche is low, and their fans are in tears (literally).  To add insult to injury, they must welcome USC, their fans, and their hated coach to town.

And no one knows the playing against Georgia than one Stephen Orr Spurrier.  He has coached against Georgia 15 times with 11 wins, including the last 3.  Georgia will play better than they did against Clemson, but unfortunately, the result will be the same - they lose, Mark Richt's seat gets hotter, and more grown shed tears on sports radio.

And as I like to say when Georgia & South Carolina play: "To the Victors go the Jorts!"

 

Carolina South 27, Georgia 24

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READ MORE FROM THE COCK-A-BOOSTER HERE.

READ MORE FROM THE TIGER SWAG HERE.

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