Weekend of November 30, 2013
THE TIGERSWAG:
Not sure which cliché to pull out of the
cupboard for this year’s contest. You
can throw out the records when these teams get together. Well, actually you
can’t. Over the course of the series, the better, or favored team, typically
wins. Defense wins championships?
Well, until USC wins a championship, this one stays in the bag. The crowd will be the factor – take the
home team. Even though USC has won the last two in Columbia, Clemson has
won 11 of the last 15 in Columbia. Actually, Clemson has more series wins in
Columbia than they do in Clemson. In fact, Clemson has more series wins in
Columbia that South Carolina does. Take
it one play at a time. Okay, now we’re getting somewhere. Over the last four
years, South Carolina has averaged more plays than Clemson, and has won all
four. Control the ball and you control
the game. Again, USC has owned time of possession in the last four games. Win the turnover battle and you win the
game. Ding, Ding, Ding. In each of the last six Clemson-Carolina game (and
nine of last ten), the winning team also won the turnover battle.
On the season, South Carolina has been
feast or famine when it comes to turnovers. They have three games with at least
three turnovers and four games with no turnovers, including the last three
(against Miss State, Florida, & Coastal nonetheless). On the other hand,
Clemson is typically good for at least one miscue. Clemson has just one game
where it lost the turnover battle: Florida State, meanwhile South Carolina has
lost the turnover battle in five of their games, including both losses.
Look for Clemson to come out focused and
aggressive early as they try to establish themselves. If it works, Clemson
could ride that momentum all night long. If they struggle, they could find
themselves singing here we go again, but regardless, they must hold on to the
ball and take it a few times from their kid brother.
In
the end, it works as Clemson stays the course and USC makes a few mistakes, and
Clemson leaves Williams-Brice with a streak busting and BCS sealing win.
Clemson 27
South Carolina 23
South Carolina 23
THE COCK-A-BOOSTER:
I have been just roasted by my
Gamecock friends because I am picking the Tigers to win this year, and I will
concede that my Tiger friends’ behavior has me suspicious that I may have
misread things. But I always trust my gut instinct and am honest about what I
think will happen. Too many intangibles are pointing in the Klimpletons
direction this year.
First, Clemson’s strength plays right
into our weakness. We have been consistently exposed in the middle of our
defense this year. So the Tiggers will get some points and big plays. Second,
this is the first season where the conference officials have something to
protect: Clemson’s unearned at-large BCS bid. I have never liked the road team
bringing their conference refs, but this is the first year that I think they
will actually affect the outcome of the game. Finally, there is the winning
streak. Carolina has faced a five-game losing streak to the kittens four times
in my lifetime. All four times- 1984, 1992 and 2001 and 2006- we won the game.
There are certainly reasons to like
USC as well. Connor Shaw’s last game at home in which he certainly doesn’t want
to go out losing his first time to Moo U, our run game without a doubt being
one of the best they have faced, our defense only being the 2nd fact
that they still have my favorite drooling, deranged lunatic in a sweatshirt
coaching them. (Again, if Clemson does
win, I can’t wait to hear him declare himself the best Clemson Coach to ever go
2-4 against Carolina.)
Perhaps more than ever, the first 1/3
of this game will likely tell the tale. Clemson wants to come out smoking and
build a big lead, which will make Shaw’s arm beat them and keep us away from
our desire to use ball-control and time of possession. I think they’ll be able
to do so, and we’ll have a different form of “animal husbandry” going in pickup
trucks all along Bluff Road when the night is done.
Clemson 31
South Carolina 20