Get ready for Clemson!

JacketOff

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I don’t really think we’ll have a good chance to win, but I think we should easily cover the 21.5 point spread.

Defensively we should be way more solid this year, and I think we’ll have a much better gameplan offensively. Clemson will have to replace a lot of their staff, and more than likely have a new QB. They’ll definitely out-talent us, but they did that last year too and we had a chance to win in the 4th. Our guys will be fired up and ready to go (I hope, they better be anyway.) They’ll have a new coaching staff and a new QB, they might struggle to get it going early. If they do we have to take advantage.

I put money on us to cover 21.5, but if it were somewhere in the 13.5-16.5 range I probably would’ve left it alone.
 
slugboy

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Could go in the media or analytics thread (in fact, I’ll copy to the analytics thread).

Bill Connelly SP+ numbers are out. Clemson favored over us by 24.5 (92% chance of victory). He’s picking Clemson to cover AND he’s picking the over. His score projection is 38-13, which means he doesn't think our defense shows up.



happy ford GIF
 
Techster

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This game will be a lot closer than most think. Random fact that GT fans will like: Clemson's OFEI was WORSE than GT's in 2021. Clemson's OFEI was 84, GT's was 78. In addition, their OC last year is now the head coach at UVA, and Clemson currently has 2 OCs (Jeff Scott and Brandon Streeter). Both have been on Clemson's staff for years, but neither controlled the offense and called the plays. Clemson's offensive coaches and players are still figuring things out. This is probably the best time to play Clemson in terms of overcoming their offense.

DJU is still projected to be the starter at QB, but he was statistically one of the worst QBs in the ACC according to ESPN's QBR stats. The bad news is Jeff Sims ranked only one spot ahead of DJU.

I think this game will be struggle for both offenses. GT is also "trying to figure it out" on offense with a new offensive coordinator. Offensively, this game could be come down to which offense is least inept and which offense keeps their turnovers to a minimum. IMO, GT actually has the better OC here....BUT, Clemson has really good offensive players.

Defensively, the contest isn't even in the same country. Clemson's defense was one of best in the nation (#4 DFEI) in 2021, and their program just reloads every year. GT's DFEI last year was one of the worst (#112 DFEI), and the only Power 5 programs that had worse DFEIs where Duke and TCU. There's a lot of turnover on our defensive staff, and with our players. If Clemson can put a half decent offense on the field, GT will have a long night.

GT seems to play well, even if we don't win, on nationally televised games under CGC. I'm not sure either team breaks 30 points (I definitely don't see us breaking 30 points), but if GT can keep it close, and we use Sims like a weapon instead of a QB, then GT can make this very uncomfortable for Clemson.
 

WreckinGT

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Sadly, I don't expect this game to be all that close. They have too many horses on defense and I don't think their offense is going to be as bad as everyone here seems to think.
 
Ramble1885

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This game could go two ways.

A close L or a win because clemson overlooks us and we play on adrenaline.

Or

L.

My prediction is 42-17. We lose but do not get shut out. Score some points in garbage time. And while that's my prediction, we are playing Clemson at EXACTLY the right time. We have a young team with something prove against a Clemson team more vulnerable than usual. If we play a NEAR PERFECT GAME we could pull off the upset. We will have to play lights out though.
 

WreckinGT

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augustabuzz said:
They are pretty much the same guys we faced last year.
Click to expand...
Not really. The team we played last year wouldn't have beaten Wake Forest by 21 or South Carolina by 30. They improved significantly on offense in the second half of the season. They also have new coordinators, a potential star backing up the QB, and a true freshman at RT.
 
Lotta Booze

Lotta Booze

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WreckinGT said:
Not really. The team we played last year wouldn't have beaten Wake Forest by 21 or South Carolina by 30. They improved significantly on offense in the second half of the season. They also have new coordinators, a potential star backing up the QB, and a true freshman at RT.
Click to expand...
So you're saying the OC who was instrumental in that improvement later in the year is now gone and they have a green OC replacing him and a QB controversy in the locker room and a true freshman RT that Keion may be able to feast on?? Sounds like they're ripe for the taking...

Depends on what you want to focus on
 

SupportPO

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Techster said:
This game will be a lot closer than most think. Random fact that GT fans will like: Clemson's OFEI was WORSE than GT's in 2021. Clemson's OFEI was 84, GT's was 78. In addition, their OC last year is now the head coach at UVA, and Clemson currently has 2 OCs (Jeff Scott and Brandon Streeter). Both have been on Clemson's staff for years, but neither controlled the offense and called the plays. Clemson's offensive coaches and players are still figuring things out. This is probably the best time to play Clemson in terms of overcoming their offense.

DJU is still projected to be the starter at QB, but he was statistically one of the worst QBs in the ACC according to ESPN's QBR stats. The bad news is Jeff Sims ranked only one spot ahead of DJU.

I think this game will be struggle for both offenses. GT is also "trying to figure it out" on offense with a new offensive coordinator. Offensively, this game could be come down to which offense is least inept and which offense keeps their turnovers to a minimum. IMO, GT actually has the better OC here....BUT, Clemson has really good offensive players.

Defensively, the contest isn't even in the same country. Clemson's defense was one of best in the nation (#4 DFEI) in 2021, and their program just reloads every year. GT's DFEI last year was one of the worst (#112 DFEI), and the only Power 5 programs that had worse DFEIs where Duke and TCU. There's a lot of turnover on our defensive staff, and with our players. If Clemson can put a half decent offense on the field, GT will have a long night.

GT seems to play well, even if we don't win, on nationally televised games under CGC. I'm not sure either team breaks 30 points (I definitely don't see us breaking 30 points), but if GT can keep it close, and we use Sims like a weapon instead of a QB, then GT can make this very uncomfortable for Clemson.
Click to expand...
Jeff Scott? He has been the head coach at USF since 2020.
 

WreckinGT

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Lotta Juice said:
So you're saying the OC who was instrumental in that improvement later in the year is now gone and they have a green OC replacing him and a QB controversy in the locker room and a true freshman RT that Keion may be able to feast on?? Sounds like they're ripe for the taking...

Depends on what you want to focus on
Click to expand...
Very true. We are assuming that their offense is going be be worse because they have a new OC and that ours is going to be better because we have a new OC. They probably think the opposite. It truly is perspectives.
 
stech81

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WreckinGT said:
Very true. We are assuming that their offense is going be be worse because they have a new OC and that ours is going to be better because we have a new OC. They probably think the opposite. It truly is perspectives.
Click to expand...
Well lets face facts with our last OC can we be worse? I know nothing about their OC so I can't say how they will be.
 
Lotta Booze

Lotta Booze

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WreckinGT said:
Very true. We are assuming that their offense is going be be worse because they have a new OC and that ours is going to be better because we have a new OC. They probably think the opposite. It truly is perspectives.
Click to expand...
Exactly. And it's preseason and we're undefeated. Gold tinted glasses are firmly in place for at least the next 4 days
 
TheJuiceIsLoose404

TheJuiceIsLoose404

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Well, I don’t see how you could logically argue that they have upgraded at OC/DC. Because if the new guys are better than the last guy why was the last guy even there. At best it’s neutral.

You could easily argue and most likely be correct that we’ve upgraded at OC.

But they have continuity with their OC which will help game 1 so I’d say the coordinator changes are a wash.
 

augustabuzz

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WreckinGT said:
Not really. The team we played last year wouldn't have beaten Wake Forest by 21 or South Carolina by 30. They improved significantly on offense in the second half of the season. They also have new coordinators, a potential star backing up the QB, and a true freshman at RT.
Click to expand...
And those teams later in the year did not have to face the defense that we played against that night.
 

takethepoints

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I think the most uncertain aspect of this game is that both sides have new OCs. The Techster has covered the Tigger side of this, but we are in the same boat. We don't know how well Long and co. will do with a brand new team they have never led in an actual game. On top of that, except for the RBs, the rest of the O hasn't performed all that well in the past. If Long has put in his usual O and left alone to do it we might be dangerous for awhile.

I would take Clemson to cover, but take the under. They are that much better, particularly on D. But we'll see - again - soon enough.
 
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