Posted by Chili

After 11 games, here are the top ten Big Fat Bowl Challengers. I’m betting ztmauldin finishes strong as he’s still got 583 possible points. I missed games I put 34 and 33 pts on, respectively, so I’ll slither on down the rankings quickly for sure.

Posted by Chili

Yeah, I think this goes without saying. A quivering lip is a little more likable when there’s a big lump of chaw tucked in it.

Posted by Willy Mac

The Tigers seem to have salvaged a doomed season and exorcised the demons of the Bowden tenure by yet again righting a wrong committed by the previous regime. Right? RIGHT? It’s going to be a sour taste thinking about that loss to Carolina. It’s going to be an utterly bitter memory reliving the completely unacceptable loss to Georgia Tech in a game we shoulda won by forty points. Am I right? But being the Gaylord Champions sure does take the sting out of things, doesn’t it?

All mockery of the t-shirt fan base aside, I thought we played a tough, physical game against a pretty decent opponent and did well to get the victory in the fashion that we did. It seemed to me that Dabo & co. took the workman approach to preparing for the game and it turned out well for them in the end. It was a fitting farewell to CJ Spiller and Jacoby Ford by sending them out with a hard earned win on national television.

After reviewing the DVR of the game, I’ve made a few quick notes to mull over before you switch to full-on basketball mode:

• It’s going to be hard to replace CJ Spiller. That’s pretty obvious. But I think everyone saw – as the game announcers mentioned last night – that we have a capable back in the cupboard to fill the role in Andre Ellington. Cullen Jamie Harper has been progressively shaking his ill-learned running habits but he’s still not a total back as of yet. Last night was a great showing for him but I constantly worry about him fumbling the ball at the most inopportune time in a game. The fact that he still hits a pile, turns around and backs into the scrum only exacerbates that fear.
• Tahj Boyd is going to be an exciting player to watch, but things would be even better if Dabo Swinney could figure out a way to get Kyle Parker to stick around after MLB owners wave mega bucks in his face. He did it with Spiller so I guess we have a good shot. He’s a great quarterback that makes juvenile mistakes due to inexperience. Given time Parker could mature into an impressive quarterback. On this note, things would get very weird if Swinney convinced him to stay only to get beaten out by Boyd. Things would still be weird either way, I guess. Keeping one of the most highly touted quarterback recruits on the sidelines doesn’t sit well with me. In a perfect world, Parker would sign an MLB contract, spend a few years in the bigs, then come back a la Chris Weinke and help us out later down the road.
• Even though the Wildcat and east-to-west offense gave the defense fits several times last night, it’s starting to look like they can hang with all comers. Our defense played full speed and with a meanness in them that has been missing in recent seasons past. They played rough and it reminded me of defenses captained by John Leake & his teammates.
• It’s exciting that the Tigers have such a young offensive line to work with. They’re only losing Thomas Austin. Granted they took a few plays off last night but the unit played well together and they have the potential to grow into some big ‘n’ nasties. Kyle Parker had absolutely forever to throw on some plays and it helps that he is so mobile. In a year or two they’re going to be one of the best squads in the ACC. Coupled with a good scrambler it’ll be an unhappy sight for any defensive line.
• Speaking of, the defensive line also did a very good job of stopping most of the runs coming through the interior of the line. The ends had plenty of trouble with containment but that’s mostly due to the fact that they didn’t have much outside support. The linebackers didn’t spy too much and I still can’t figure that one out.
• Chad Diehl did a hell of a job last night. The shoes of Alex Pearson are not easily filled but he lived up to expectations last night. He was just nomming defenders up. One funny anecdote from last nights game though is that whenever they would commend him on something he would fall flat on his face the very next play. Also, I hope to god that “The Real Diehl” nickname doesn’t catch on because it makes me shudder with awkwardness.
• Of course Clemson is going to lose CJ and Jacoby, but some other potential losses come in the form of Ricky Sapp and Kavell Conner. Both have capable yet very green underlings. Thomas Austin will be a big blow from both a leadership and output stand point as I mentioned earlier, but it’s no hill that the rest of the undergrads can’t climb.
• Another big loss will come with the departure of Michael Palmer. Dwayne Allen will be great next season but the Tigers have only received a commitment from two star 2010 commit Sam Cooper to back him up. This might be a big selling point to convince four star recruit Ethan Farmer to don the purple and orange next year. Still, Palmer was a solid all around tight end and will be sorely missed.

Posted by Block-C Staff

Clemson (8-5) vs. Kentucky (7-5), 8:30PM EST, Sunday, Dec 27th.

ESPNHD, ESPN 360, XM 190, Sirius 216, WCCPFM Live Feed.

Forecast: Mostly cloudy, lows in the 20s, chance of snow late.

Previews: ESPN | CUAD

Block-C Forums Open Thread

Edge goes to:

Clemson offense vs.UK defense: Kentucky

Clemson defense vs. UK offense: Clemson

Special teams: Clemson

Intangibles: Kentucky. This is their third trip to the Music City Bowl in the last 4 years. Clemson could suffer a letdown as the Tigers’ bowl sights were  much higher before dropping the ACC Championship Game and having the league fail to come to bat for them to secure a better bowl.

Our Panel of KRAMPUSES Says:

Willy Mac: As the gears grind to a stop on what many fans are considering to be a disappointing season (for some reason that escapes me), I think the Tigers are ready to pick up the pieces and start the momentum for next year. But as Chili states in his preview to follow, there will be a mountain to climb to get the win in Nashville. Ultimately, I think that next year is what our guys will be too focused on (yuck, it feels weird getting the Gamecock end of the deal this year) and we won’t finish strong. Plus the Wildcats are getting pretty comfortable with this end of season trip and will be okay. Oh yeah, we have four players out, two of which (Cumbie and Moore) did saw some regular snaps on the defensive line but that shouldn’t hurt us too much. I’m thinking we’re going to be behind at the end with one final shot to take the lead or tie and we blow it on a turnover.

Clemson 31, Kentucky 38

Chili:I don’t know if this is Clemson’s toughest bowl test yet, as Gene Sapakoff is claiming, but I know it’ll be a formidable one for the same reasons he states. The Tigers are disappointed to be in this one, there will be little fan support, shitty weather, and a formidable team in Kentucky to contend with. Dabo is confident the team is prepared, but is it motivated? I find it hard to believe they will be down to a man. Kentucky will also be running that gimmicky wildblank offense that seems to give Clemson fits. I just don’t have a real rosy feeling about this one. Cats win.

Kentucky 31, Clemson 28

Posted by Chili

Four Clemson players missed their 1 AM curfew this morning and, simple as that, won’t be playing in the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl tomorrow night. Dabo’s justice is swift. Dabo’s justice is severe.

TE Durrell Barry, WR Kyle Johnson and d-linemen Jamie Cumbie and Rennie Moore will all sit for the bowl game.

So sayeth Dabo: “They were just late. I said it was pretty simple; they weren’t going to play. We have done some different things all year. We have had Kevin Alexander playing down there in the nickel package, and Da’Quan [Bowers] can play in there. Even Malliciah can play inside. It is one game, four quarters. We have three starter-type guys to split up 60-plus plays within the ball game. Let’s go win it. We won’t make any excuses. We would have more depth if we had a couple of guys, but they are not there.”