Looking forward to this game already.

Doesn't Clemson return a bunch of starters? I thought I saw 8 on defense and 7 on offense.

We are replacing:

3/4 DL
2/2 LB
2/5 DB (worst unit last year)

2/5 OL (2 on the depth chart have played significantly)
1/1 RB who took his game to the next level
1/1 Badazz TE

We probably have the DL talent in the program. The LBs are questionable- the good ones have been injured. We had a young CB and FS come on strong at the end of the year. We brought in a bigtime Juco CB. WE also brought in several HS DBs. The depth at DB is questionable until proven otherwise.

Assuming no surprises and turnovers even, the final should be Clemson by 10-13.

As for Clemson, we lose our starting DL which will hurt. They may have been the best ever. Our defense won't be #1 but will go back to Top 15 in the country.

Next year's Clemson offense has the ability to be among the best in the HISTORY of college football.

A big reason we have not suffered massive drop-offs -- even after losing a ton of guys -- is Dabo is adamant the assistant coaches substitute.

Last year in College Station -- in only our second game of the season -- all 72 guys on the travel team played quality minutes. We have a number of games where we played 50+ players in the 1st Q of competitive games. That is really unusual in college football.

It's also a reason we don't blow people out of the water early in the season. Dabo is a big believer in getting young players into the game -- in tight situations -- to help them grow and improve. It pays off later in the year and the following years as well.

Clemson is losing a lot of experience on the defense. Losing their entire starting DL, starting LB, and two DBs to the draft.

Not to say that the ample recruiting talent they have behind them won't be formidable, but all signs point to them taking a bit of a step back.

Agsuffering@bulaw said:

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Doesn't Clemson return a bunch of starters? I thought I saw 8 on defense and 7 on offense.

We are replacing:

3/4 DL
2/2 LB
2/5 DB (worst unit last year)

2/5 OL (2 on the depth chart have played significantly)
1/1 RB who took his game to the next level
1/1 Badazz TE

We probably have the DL talent in the program. The LBs are questionable- the good ones have been injured. We had a young CB and FS come on strong at the end of the year. We brought in a bigtime Juco CB. WE also brought in several HS DBs. The depth at DB is questionable until proven otherwise.

Assuming no surprises and turnovers even, the final should be Clemson by 10-13.

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By my calculations (using the depth chart on Texags) we are returning 7 on offense if you count sets where we use a fullback 8 in sets with no fullback and 5 on defense. So yes there are some holes to fill on defense.

On defense:
DL - Brown and Pevey played so much and so well we should be OK there.
LB - We have very talented players who could do great if they can stay healthy. There is no sugar coating this area we need to have guys stay healthy and play up to their ability to be our best.
DB - We had a ton of guys play who are returning and some highly recruited new guys. No sugar coating this one either getting your first real test against elite competition against Trevor Lawrence in death valley will be a tall order here since he most recently made some Bama studs look bad.

ClemsonTig said:

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As for Clemson, we lose our starting DL which will hurt. They may have been the best ever. Our defense won't be #1 but will go back to Top 15 in the country.

Next year's Clemson offense has the ability to be among the best in the HISTORY of college football.

A big reason we have not suffered massive drop-offs -- even after losing a ton of guys -- is Dabo is adamant the assistant coaches substitute.

Last year in College Station -- in only our second game of the season -- all 72 guys on the travel team played quality minutes. We have a number of games where we played 50+ players in the 1st Q of competitive games. That is really unusual in college football.

It's also a reason we don't blow people out of the water early in the season. Dabo is a big believer in getting young players into the game -- in tight situations -- to help them grow and improve. It pays off later in the year and the following years as well.

---

It's not like it was A&M's 7th or 8th game of the season....

Should be an exciting game to watch. Two high powered offenses, which will likely look like a big 12 game. I'll take the over, and the Aggies to cover 20.5. I'd be comfortable having the Aggies cover 14, so 20.5 is a gift.

I can see us losing by 20, but man that's a big spread.

Clemson: 38
Ags: 20

Agsuffering@bulaw said:

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Doesn't Clemson return a bunch of starters? I thought I saw 8 on defense and 7 on offense.

We are replacing:

3/4 DL
2/2 LB
2/5 DB (worst unit last year)

2/5 OL (2 on the depth chart have played significantly)
1/1 RB who took his game to the next level
1/1 Badazz TE

We probably have the DL talent in the program. The LBs are questionable- the good ones have been injured. We had a young CB and FS come on strong at the end of the year. We brought in a bigtime Juco CB. WE also brought in several HS DBs. The depth at DB is questionable until proven otherwise.

Assuming no surprises and turnovers even, the final should be Clemson by 10-13.

---

There's always year after next....

If Clemson can beat Alabama by three touchdowns it's not that unfathomable to beat us by that as well. If Clemson beats us by any less we'll be the unanimous #1 the next week.

Have to disagree with Clemson -20.5 and LSU -8 at Austin. Think both games will be closer.

OldShadeOfBlue said:

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If Clemson can beat Alabama by three touchdowns it's not that unfathomable to beat us by that as well. If Clemson beats us by any less we'll be the unanimous highest ranked 1 loss team the next week.

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fify

nothing like always being the highest ranked x loss team!

ClemsonTig said:

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Looking forward to this game already.

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I'd take..

Texas +8
UCLA +12
UF -8.5

How many players is Army returning? Triple option could hinder Michigan.

Well, they beat Bama by 28, so we are getting more respect than that I suppose.

WC94 said:

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Well, they beat Bama by 28, so we are getting more respect than that I suppose.

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Bama doesn't know how to react to someone stepping up and punching them in the mouth. I like Jimbo better in a nip and tuck game. Not to say we're going in there and winning, I have my serious doubts about that. But 20 1/2 DOES seem a little bit of a slap in the face

Well Vegas wants your money, so always bet opposite of the obvious bet. Look for Clemson to cover.

OU is going to hang a hundred on UCLA, of course they may give up 50 so you know +50 for me.

dixichkn said:

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WC94 said:

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Well, they beat Bama by 28, so we are getting more respect than that I suppose.

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Bama doesn't know how to react to someone stepping up and punching them in the mouth. I like Jimbo better in a nip and tuck game. Not to say we're going in there and winning, I have my serious doubts about that. But 20 1/2 DOES seem a little bit of a slap in the face

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Come on...you don't really believe that, do you? Bama has the biggest target on their back in all of college football. They get every team's best shot.

rbcs_2 said:

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dixichkn said:

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WC94 said:

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Well, they beat Bama by 28, so we are getting more respect than that I suppose.

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Bama doesn't know how to react to someone stepping up and punching them in the mouth. I like Jimbo better in a nip and tuck game. Not to say we're going in there and winning, I have my serious doubts about that. But 20 1/2 DOES seem a little bit of a slap in the face

---

Come on...you don't really believe that, do you? Bama has the biggest target on their back in all of college football. They get every team's best shot.

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Yes. It's easy to imagine 20.5 after watching them manhandle Bama. A more depressing way to think about it is that Vegas likes Army's chances to beat Mich about the same as ours to beat Clemson.

LSU will beat tu by 4 touchdowns. Guaranteed.

rootube said:

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rbcs_2 said:

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dixichkn said:

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WC94 said:

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Well, they beat Bama by 28, so we are getting more respect than that I suppose.

---

Bama doesn't know how to react to someone stepping up and punching them in the mouth. I like Jimbo better in a nip and tuck game. Not to say we're going in there and winning, I have my serious doubts about that. But 20 1/2 DOES seem a little bit of a slap in the face

---

Come on...you don't really believe that, do you? Bama has the biggest target on their back in all of college football. They get every team's best shot.

---

Yes. It's easy to imagine 20.5 after watching them manhandle Bama. A more depressing way to think about it is that Vegas likes Army's chances to beat Mich about the same as ours to beat Clemson.

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Not really. 28 vs 20.5 is a pretty big difference

Clemson played their best, Bama their worst. Had they played again the following week, Clemson would have been favored by a FG.

20 points would have made sense had we played Clemson the week after they throttled Bama.

A&M moneyline would be the play.

I would take Army all day at that spread.

I'm really liking that spread on the FSU Bosie game. FSU is not going to be good next year and Boise is going to come out and treat the game like their super bowl.

That one is easy money.

levypantsEOY said:

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LSU will beat tu by 4 touchdowns. Guaranteed.

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Bet?

Dale Gribble said:

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rootube said:

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rbcs_2 said:

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dixichkn said:

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WC94 said:

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Well, they beat Bama by 28, so we are getting more respect than that I suppose.

---

Bama doesn't know how to react to someone stepping up and punching them in the mouth. I like Jimbo better in a nip and tuck game. Not to say we're going in there and winning, I have my serious doubts about that. But 20 1/2 DOES seem a little bit of a slap in the face

---

Come on...you don't really believe that, do you? Bama has the biggest target on their back in all of college football. They get every team's best shot.

---

Yes. It's easy to imagine 20.5 after watching them manhandle Bama. A more depressing way to think about it is that Vegas likes Army's chances to beat Mich about the same as ours to beat Clemson.

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Not really. 28 vs 20.5 is a pretty big difference

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Take a gander at the non conference games on that list. We are closer to the Army spread than the rest so we are +7.5 on Army. Yeah!?

Agsuffering@bulaw said:

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Clemson played their best, Bama their worst. Had they played again the following week, Clemson would have been favored by a FG.

20 points would have made sense had we played Clemson the week after they throttled Bama.

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You realize they played each other right? I'm going way out on a limb here and suggest that Bama played their worst because Clemson completely outplayed them? Call me crazy.

rootube said:

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Dale Gribble said:

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rootube said:

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rbcs_2 said:

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dixichkn said:

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WC94 said:

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Well, they beat Bama by 28, so we are getting more respect than that I suppose.

---

Bama doesn't know how to react to someone stepping up and punching them in the mouth. I like Jimbo better in a nip and tuck game. Not to say we're going in there and winning, I have my serious doubts about that. But 20 1/2 DOES seem a little bit of a slap in the face

---

Come on...you don't really believe that, do you? Bama has the biggest target on their back in all of college football. They get every team's best shot.

---

Yes. It's easy to imagine 20.5 after watching them manhandle Bama. A more depressing way to think about it is that Vegas likes Army's chances to beat Mich about the same as ours to beat Clemson.

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Not really. 28 vs 20.5 is a pretty big difference

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Take a gander at the non conference games on that list. We are closer to the Army spread than the rest so we are +7.5 on Army. Yeah!?

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Or put another way Vegas is predicting two beatdowns Army and us. How's that?

WC94 said:

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Well Vegas wants your money, so always bet opposite of the obvious bet. Look for Clemson to cover.

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You don't understand the hook here.