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AParker on 
Willy Mac on Clemson (3-2, 1-1) at Wake Forest (3-1, 1-0) Thursday, October 9, 7:30 PM EST, ESPN, XM 192. Live Feed from 104.9 here. Weather.
Note: We will be liveblogging the game Thursday night, starting 7:15ish or so.
The Line: Clemson +2.5
Edge goes to:
Clemson offense vs. Wake Forest defense: Slight advantage to Clemson. The Tigers are averaging more points and yards per game than are the Deacs. Useless stat: Clemson has outscored Wake Forest 68-10 in the past 5 quarters of play against the Deacons. Wake Forest’s defense is stout, despite surrendering a bunch of yards to a Navy team that ran about every time. Clemson’s offensive line played pretty well against Maryland and has undergone some personnel changes. The battle in the trenches should be a fascinating one. Offensive coordinator Rob Spence has promised to institute a lot of trick plays, but that I wouldn’t put a lot of faith into that working out well.
Clemson defense vs. Wake Forest offense: Slight advantage to Wake. Their misdirection can give teams fits, but I think for the most part Clemson’s solid secondary and quick linebacker squad should be up on the Deacons’ tricks. I still am pretty sure that Clemson will get tripped up by some halftime adjustments, and I still don’t trust the Clemson pass defense that WF QB Riley Skinner could have a nice evening against.
Special teams: Push if Sam Swank is out for WF. Advantage Wake if he’s available.
Intangibles: It’s a Thursday night game. Both teams have had a bye week. Wake’s fans will be pumped up, making their cute little stadium a bit louder than usual. I think Wake gets the advantage here because of the game being on their home field and because of how easily Jim Grobe outshines Bowden. In an unrelated note, Clemson will reportedly be wearing all white unis tonight to counter Wake’s incredibly original black-out.
Our panel of Mayostard aficionados says:
Willy Mac: Given the way things have gone this season, I think we’re gonna lay a big goose egg. But thinking back to how we punked them last year, I’m not sure. We’re historically terrible on Thursday night games under Bowden. Also, we don’t do well when we travel up to the state of North Carolina under Tommy either. I don’t know if it’s harder to get a team pumped up or what, but it’s an oddity. If we run the ball, and I mean run… the… ball… we’ll be fine. We did great first half against Maryland and the Wake defense had terrible trouble stopping the run last week. Davis and Spiller will lead us to victory if Bowden gives them the reins. He probably won’t, or for some reason we’ll start throwing screens once the run starts working and it’ll be downhill from there. I hope I’m wrong.
Wake Forest 31, Clemson 20
Chili: I agree with Larry Williams’ take in this post on his Tiger Tracks page where he questions the time honored tradition of Tommy Bowden’s teams responding when their backs are against the wall:
“Would we be surprised to see the Tigers walk out of there with a victory, even a convincing one? Heck no.
But the bottom line is this: What has Clemson done thus far to engender faith that such an outcome is possible? Very little.”
We’ve seen Clemson respond after a disappointing loss, but this team seems to have a weird funk about them, as I stated in the Maryland preview.
Wake Forest 23, Clemson 21
What's your take on the final score of the Wake game?
- Wake wins and covers the spread. (41%, 37 Votes)
- Clemson wins by a touchdown or more. (27%, 24 Votes)
- Wake wins but doesn't cover the spread. (18%, 16 Votes)
- Clemson wins by less than a touchdown. (14%, 13 Votes)
Total Voters: 90
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1Daniel
on Oct 9, 2008 at 11:37 am:
I think Bowden goes into “save my ass” mode and pulls it out tonight, 27-17. We will dangle hopes of winning the division until we go to BC or even UVA and then we’ll have our usual “USC, Texas or Ohio State-type meltdown”, to paraphrase Bowden.
2edbo
on Oct 9, 2008 at 11:44 am:
I agree with Daniel. It’s a little early in the year to have our dreams crushed. Thats a November tradition for TB teams. I wonder how Spence reacted to the Tony Franklin news. Personally I think 7 games is a LITTLE too early to give the guy the boot. Just shows you made a bad hire. Al Davis comes to mind
3The Legacyx4
on Oct 9, 2008 at 11:49 am:
The atlantic division shakes out a little more tonight that’s for sure. We’ll be watching in ATL.
4Tom
on Oct 9, 2008 at 12:08 pm:
Wake 31-13
http://www.antibowden.com/2008/10/wake-forest-prediction.html
5Charlie
on Oct 9, 2008 at 12:20 pm:
Tom shoves his golden horseshoe back up his ass and pulls out a win, only his 2nd on Thursday nights as I recall.
6Tom
on Oct 9, 2008 at 12:27 pm:
Oh, and this is also a useless stat:
“The Tigers are averaging more points and yards per game than are the Deacs.”
7cuvinny
on Oct 9, 2008 at 12:28 pm:
I get the feeling this is going to be a blow out for Clemson. Bowden is against the wall and will come out swinging. Frankly I’m tired of that shit but whatever. We will go on a roll and show the promise we had at the beginning of the year only to have a crushing loss late in the year to knock us out. We rebound to beat SCU and to the Champs bowl or some other toilet one.
8JasonL
on Oct 9, 2008 at 12:40 pm:
why do i live in a world where Clemson is the underdog to Wake -fukin- Forest?
I mean, what the hell?!?!?
9Chili
on Oct 9, 2008 at 12:50 pm:
cuvinny there is almost no possible outcome to tonight’s game that would surprise me.
10Daniel
on Oct 9, 2008 at 12:59 pm:
Yeah, I agree, there’s really nothing that will happen that can surpise me tonight unless we come out in a 3-point stance, I-formation.
11edbo
on Oct 9, 2008 at 1:04 pm:
A play action pass and a cold glass of water would put me in shock
12Kornholio
on Oct 9, 2008 at 1:39 pm:
Don’t you hate it when middle aged guys wax poetic on the halcyon days of yester-year? Me too, but I will any way.
My freshman year, 1981, we beat W.F. 82 to 24. I believe a linebacker was put in at running back and ran for a long T.D. (Watched on the hill with some friends from UGA and then proceeded to get so drunk one of those firends hasn’t had a drink since, but I digress.)
It is also my understanding that W.F. has an enrollment around 6000? W.T.F.????
No excuse whatsoever for the loss I’m predicting.
I’m with JasonL what f’ed up Universe are we living in.
13cuvinny
on Oct 9, 2008 at 1:58 pm:
I agree Chili. Could as easily be a 3 point game. I’ve liked what I’ve heard from practice. It looks like Spence decided to actually give this whole coaching thing a try. For Bowden’s sake he better win.
14Lawtonfunk
on Oct 9, 2008 at 2:29 pm:
I’ve been telling all my friends that I think we’re going to win. I’m looking for a 20-17 Clemson victory . . . It’s time for JD and Spiller to run all over WF.
15huj
on Oct 9, 2008 at 2:37 pm:
I’m thinking Wake simply because there is no evidence to suggest that Clemson is capable of winning. Bowden struggles at away games, is terrible on Thursday nights and is going up another Jim Grobe team. Too much negative history to think Clemson and it’s musical-chair OL can get it in line and pull it out.