Gator Bowl Analysis and Prediction

Heart says:

Clemson - 35 Huskers - 28

Brain says:

Clemson - 27 Huskers - 31

Hate to say it, but I think the Huskers pull this one out, and all of Clemson quickly jumps off of the Dabo bandwagon.

 
Clemson 38

Nebraska 28

I just see the CU offense clicking with this much prep time. I am just worried if we can stop the NU offense.

 
We are going to do what we do on offense, that is control the clock. Your concern biggest concern is going to be our D line, they are quick, strong and aggressive. And they have really started to play well as a unit.

 
Hello Husker fans! Excited to be playing y'all in the Gator Bowl.

With Clemson, as some of y'all have probably read by now, the O Line is our weak point. We're gonna have trouble running against the Husker D Line, so IMO Clemson should set the Passing and Screen game to establish a run. If we can connect on a few passes to Jacoby Ford, CJ Spiller, and Aaron Kelley, that will hopefully back y'all off a bit, to allow us to get the ball in James Davis's hands. He can be a pretty hard nose runner and plow out those tough 5 to 10 yard runs. So if we can gel with the passing game, I think that will be key.

Defensively, Clemson has been pretty solid, although a bit of a bend don't break mentality comes in now and then. Our D Line and Secondary are good, but we have some weakness in the Linebacker corps. The past few games we've seemed to play a more physical game, cutting some of our guys loose, and this has seem to amp their on field intensity. The big Question however is how will the game be called defensively?? Our DC split, so this could work to Nebraska's favor.

In a game like this, I can see a hard fought, passionate game that comes down to CJ Spiller returning a kickoff or Punt Return, and that's the difference. Clemson 24 Nebraska 17.

 
motorboatjonesNU said:
Just looking at Clemson on YouTube, their secondary is pretty fast. This may not bode all that well for Ganz - I think he gets picked at least once. I don't know how their def. will do against a rolling QB, though. Ganz just can't force anything.

I do think we have success using short routes vs. their linebackers - especially with Swifty and McNeill. I'd give the advantage to our OL, too. Hopefully, Lucky can get back to full strength, too. Helu should do pretty well.

Another poster noted that Clemson's DB's might be soft if they get knocked around. If that's true, then Gilmore and Ron Brown should work their magic and create receivers that block downfield. Niles Paul loves to block DBs!

We've got to minimize the damage from turnovers, too. I'd be real surprised if we have positive turnover margin in this game. Maybe Suh and Potter can get those big mitts up there and create something.

Their big receiver is going to be tough to handle. We can't let Spiller or Ford get loose either. Those guys are dangerous. Hopefully we bring the heat and put their QB on his butt.

If we don't let them get points off turnovers, minimize their big plays, not slow down in the red zone ourselves, and chew up clock - we win.

NU 30, Clemson 27
Click to expand...
Trust me, our DB's are anything but soft. Our old defensive coordinator liked to play soft zone coverage and let our speedy/athletic corners play 10-15 yds. off of receivers. We VERY rarely got beat deep in this scheme but gave up the 5-10 yard intermediate routes. This is evident by our high statistical ranking in total defense and avg. yds. per pass given up. Our new coach likes to play more press man w/ our speed & athleticism so I wouldn't bank on getting all of those short routes like we usually give up. I also don't see your recievers being able to bust off big gains against us either...I mean lets face it, they aren't the speediest group. But back to my main point, our DB's will definetly come up and hit you and have talked all season how they love to play press. The past 3 games we have seen more of this with alot of success & forced turnovers.

 
motorboatjonesNU said:
Just looking at Clemson on YouTube, their secondary is pretty fast. This may not bode all that well for Ganz - I think he gets picked at least once. I don't know how their def. will do against a rolling QB, though. Ganz just can't force anything.

I do think we have success using short routes vs. their linebackers - especially with Swifty and McNeill. I'd give the advantage to our OL, too. Hopefully, Lucky can get back to full strength, too. Helu should do pretty well.

Another poster noted that Clemson's DB's might be soft if they get knocked around. If that's true, then Gilmore and Ron Brown should work their magic and create receivers that block downfield. Niles Paul loves to block DBs!

We've got to minimize the damage from turnovers, too. I'd be real surprised if we have positive turnover margin in this game. Maybe Suh and Potter can get those big mitts up there and create something.

Their big receiver is going to be tough to handle. We can't let Spiller or Ford get loose either. Those guys are dangerous. Hopefully we bring the heat and put their QB on his butt.

If we don't let them get points off turnovers, minimize their big plays, not slow down in the red zone ourselves, and chew up clock - we win.

NU 30, Clemson 27
Click to expand...
Clemson's speed is like the Big 12 South teams, and this spells disaster.

 
This game is simple.

If the NU D-line blows up our offensive line and gets in the backfield before Spiller or Davis have time to get going and they manage to put pressure on Harper all game then its not even close. Harper is not good under pressure and has feet like he wears cinder block shoes. He can be good at times but there have been stretches of downright horrible during this season. It all depends on our Oline.

If the game falls into a pattern of 3 and outs and our defense is on the field for long stretches of time you guys walk away by the end of the 3rd quarter.

Three weeks ago I would have agreed that your short passing game would have ripped us apart due to the type of bend but dont break defense we used. That has changed a bit and we are now willing to bring the safeties up and take that away. It leaves our corners on an island but so far they have lived up to the challenge. Our D line is pretty good but we have finally started throwing in some blitzes as of late and it has helped a great deal with creating pressure. FSU was the one game where our defense was a huge let down. Other than that they have been solid all year against some pretty good and diverse offenses.

Bottom line is that i think you guys move the ball but end up settling for a lot of field goals.

If we move the ball with 7 to 10 play drives, put more than 24 points up and win the turnover battle we win this game.

I do see at least one big return on a kick off or punt from spiller, which might be the big x factor in the game. Your guys have trouble staying in lanes and getting off blocks on coverage and he will eat that alive.

 
Clempsun said:
Trust me, our DB's are anything but soft. Our old defensive coordinator liked to play soft zone coverage and let our speedy/athletic corners play 10-15 yds. off of receivers.
***SNIP***
Click to expand...
Clemson had Kevin Cosgrove as their defensive coordinator also?????

 
borNred said:
I don't know if it'd be a good thing to play 10-15 yards off our receivers (i'm not saying their world beaters, just saying)
Click to expand...
No offense to you guys or your recievers, but I'm pretty sure it's not a good thing to play any recievers like that. Even a lineman could probably pick up at least 4 yards every time.

 
Simply put, Clemson is going to have to score more than 28 points to win this game and they're going to have to hold Nebraska to field goals. Clemson's defense is great, it's just the offense where they lack explosiveness. I expect points for Clemson to come in the form of turnovers, special teams, and maybe one or two good offense drives. Our special teams has generally been horrendous.

Clemson will also have to hold Nebraska's T.O.P. to an all season low. When we have the T.O.P. on our side, we generally win. We beat teams by wearing down the defense slowly and surely. I think Clemson's defense, however, will be up to the challenge.

One good thing working for NU's defense, however. CU is last in 3rd down efficiency and they allow more sacks than anybody else in their conference. One bad thing working for CU's offense, our weak secondary.

 
cacti, that was the point i was really trying to get at. Maybe I should of worded it better or elaborated.

 
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motorboatjonesNU said:
Just looking at Clemson on YouTube, their secondary is pretty fast. This may not bode all that well for Ganz - I think he gets picked at least once. I don't know how their def. will do against a rolling QB, though. Ganz just can't force anything.

I do think we have success using short routes vs. their linebackers - especially with Swifty and McNeill. I'd give the advantage to our OL, too. Hopefully, Lucky can get back to full strength, too. Helu should do pretty well.

Another poster noted that Clemson's DB's might be soft if they get knocked around. If that's true, then Gilmore and Ron Brown should work their magic and create receivers that block downfield. Niles Paul loves to block DBs!

We've got to minimize the damage from turnovers, too. I'd be real surprised if we have positive turnover margin in this game. Maybe Suh and Potter can get those big mitts up there and create something.

Their big receiver is going to be tough to handle. We can't let Spiller or Ford get loose either. Those guys are dangerous. Hopefully we bring the heat and put their QB on his butt.

If we don't let them get points off turnovers, minimize their big plays, not slow down in the red zone ourselves, and chew up clock - we win.

NU 30, Clemson 27
Click to expand...

I guess I'm just not as optimistic as the other husker fans.

Our D-line a strength?

Gimme a break!

I guess you could call it the only strength on the entire defense.

Once Clemson breaks thru the line our linebackers will stumble and bumble and its off to the races for Clemson. They have too much speed on both sides of the ball for us.

And Clemson's defense is too fast for us.

Think in terms of an Okie St.

They will bust thru our line and cause havoc.

Look for numerous interceptions by Ganz.

His dink passes will be picked off at the line.

People wake up!

"OUR" signature win was against KU.

Big deal!

We beat all the rest of the LOSERS in the Big 12.

Reality check!

 
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