2xaTiger

The real key to the game is going to be line play on both sides, who can stop the run, and who can get pressure on the QB. I'm not sure how it'll end up, but it should be a close game.

This is inaccurate. The ACC does not have the caliber of QBs that the Big 12 does, but Harper is one of the top two or three QBs in the league. For the first 7 or 8 games this year, his throwing was affected by a shoulder injury that now seems to have healed and surely will have healed by bowl time. Last year, Harper's numbers included 27 TDs and just 6 picks, so he can get the job done when healthy. This will be an interesting matchup. The ACC has been down for 4 or 5 years largely because of the weakness at QB. I saw one of your fans quip that FSU has been mediocre since Chris Weinke "turned 65" and graduated around 2000, and that is entirely accurate. The Rix experiment was a failure, and they've been weak at the position since then. Miami has also had QB troubles, and so has VPI since Michael Vick left 6 or 7 years ago. NC State had Philip Rivers from 2000 to 2003, followed by terrible QBs until Russell Wilson took over this year. Maryland had a kid you probably never heard of from 2000-2003, Scott McBrien, who was apparently better than most gave him credit since has been all but irreplaceable. You get the picture. At the same time the defense has been outstanding, and the ACC has been right behind the SEC in sending players to the NFL even during this down period. In contrast to the ACC, obviously, the Big 12 has quarterbacks in spades. Ganz gets overlooked by some, but there's no doubt he'd be among the best in the ACC. We will get to see how he does against a defense that may (or may not) be better than any defense in the Big 12. There has been a lot of talk about Clemson's "backfield" -- meaning Spiller, Davis, and sometimes Harper -- from your fans and ours, but when I think of Clemson's "backfield", the first thing that comes to mind is Clemson's DBs. I won't cite Clemson's pass efficiency stats, since they are compiled against a pretty poor group of QBs, but these guys are probably among the top five units in the country. Our sack numbers have improved lately but we have had trouble getting to the QB this year, making the secondary's play all the more impressive. Of course, with the departure of our defensive coordinator, things could look very different when the bowl game rolls around. In short, our strengths are, in order: (1) tailbacks, (2) DBs, both safeties and corners, (3) QB, now that he's healthy, and (4) DL, despite the disappointing sack figure. Weaknesses are (1) OL, though improving, (2) linebackers, who are young and also improving. And this is what worries me. PLUS THE SPEED! CU went down to FSU and the 'noles just ran circles around them. I don't think any NE Fan should be taking this game lighlty, as some seem to be. I see us as a slight dawg in this one. Maybe I'm wrong. i too see us as the dawg in this one, but the list he put forth really plays in our favor i think. our strengths in order 1) D-line 2) QB 3) WR 4) RB 5) o-line..... our LBs and DBs are hit and miss so we'll just see how hit or miss they are on jan. 1st I think it's the speed we'll have to adapt to. Probably will take a qtr or so for that. Clemson Alum from Missouri here, so I'm well acquainted with both Clemson and the Big XII. That being the case, I think the speed thing is valid. I'm not saying that Clemson is so fast that every player is going to make Nebraska look slow, but you really do have to worry about Ford and Spiller. They are both really, really fast. To put it in terms you guys certainly know, they're Jeremy Maclin fast, no joke. I'm not saying Ford is as good as Maclin because he's not, but he's as fast. Spiller on the other hand, is closer to Maclin talent - he's scary in space. For those reasons, I think speed will be a factor after watching the Mizzou-Nebraska game.