MARYLAND GAME PREVIEW

Maryland (6-2, 3-1) @ #19 Clemson (7-2, 4-2 ACC), Saturday, November 4, Noon, ESPN2, XM Satellite Radio ch 191-193.

The Line: Clemson -20

Edge goes to:
Offense: Clemson barring Rob Spence has learned his lesson
Defense: Clemson
Special Teams: Maryland simply with them being 19th in the nation in returns
Intangibles: Maryland, given their recent success and their surprising first place tie for the Atlantic division with BC and Wake Forest. A road win over Clemson will put them in the polls and keep their hopes of going to Jacksonville alive.

Our panel of DFIG "experts" say:

Willy Mac:
Honestly, I don't know how to call this one. Some of you may disagree with me, but this could go either way. If the Tigers suffer ESPN hangover like they did back in 2000, then we're in real trouble. Maryland is a very scary team and if they show up to play, they can beat us. The way that VT running back Branden Ore ran all over us for 203 yards was disgusting and pathetic.

"It's not over yet," Bowden said. "We're got three games left. We've got a lot of football left. Mathematically, we're not out of it."

Let's just hope this was another hiccup like at BC. There are too many things that could go wrong to list, so I'm just gonna keep it simple.
Tigers get back on track
Clemson 31, Maryland 17

Time for a Rocky-esque comeback.

Chili is feeling under the weather and is declining to make a pick this week, in his place is Tully.

Tully:
Not this team. Not in Death Valley. Although I give the noon-game advantage to Maryland, just because Death Valley at night is like a Metallica concert gone orange. Unfortunately, since it's not a night game, I'll give Maryland the early edge. I forsee terrible kickoff coverage and sub-par first half play calling for the Tigers. After that, its all downhill for the Tigers. Clemson will start spreading out the offense more (hopefully), and shades of 2005 will occur for the home team with an excellently played/called 4th quarter. I think the defense's VT brain fart is over. Defense steps up, special teams is mediocre at best, Offense does just enough.
Clemson 35 Maryland 14

Maryland's chances of beating Clemson are more minute than Metallica's chances of relevance outside of the jort-wearing crowd.