GEORGIA TECH PREVIEW

#13 Clemson (4-0, 2-0 ACC) @ Georgia Tech (2-2, 0-2 ACC) Saturday, September 29th, 3:30 PM EST, ABC HD, XM 191.

The Line: Clemson -3

Edge goes to:

Offense: Clemson

Defense: Push

Special Teams: Clemson

Intangibles: Georgia Tech, Georgia Tech, Georgia Tech


Our Panel of Sandwich Artists & Occasional Pigskin Prognosticators Say:

Seigler: I've been confident every game so far this season, that Clemson would find a way to win. Tommy Bowden's new philosophy of "finish the job" seems to be working, and I think we've finally shown a little, by the game last week, that we're not just getting lucky. I hate to say it, but I think the fun might end this weekend.I thought that when we got to this point in the season we'd find ourselves playing a top 10 ranked Tech team, and not one which finds themselves 0-2 in the ACC. I think them losing to Virginia will have a profound effect on this game. Tech's players probably know that they shouldn't be at .500 right now and need a big win this week to sort of save their season. While this game won't be hyped up the way it was last year, I still think this is perhaps the most important game of the season. We should win this game, we should win it easily, but I have a feeling we might find a way to lose this. I'm equating this game to the one we lost to BC last year. We went up to Boston and lost to a team we shouldn't have, ruining what could have been a perfect start. Here we outclass this team, but for some reason I can't wrap my mind around this being an easy victory. I think our ability to win this game will depend on our defense, which has been mediocre at best this year. We need to stop the run, I'm hoping that we can do to Choice what we did to Calvin Johnson last year, and hold him to some goose eggs. If not this will be a hard fought win, if a win at all. Clemson will need to really step it up this week, this to me is our final test, if we win this game, I'll say we deserve to be a top 10 team. Right now, I don't think we do. Still I think Davis and Spiller will carry us to victory this week. Don't expect this one to be a blowout

Clemson 31 GA Tech 28

FORGET THAT CAN OF WHOOP-ASS

Chili: If this Clemson team was like the ones of the past four or so years, they would've gone up to Raleigh and dropped one to the Pack. While they met that challenge, I'm still not convinced this team is different than the good old Tigers who lose one they shouldn't and win one they shouldn't. Bowden's Law, let's call this. If this still holds true, the Tigers will lose to GT this weekend, and maybe by more than a touchdown. Tashard Choice will be back from an injury and Tech is still seething from the way we cold-cocked them last year in Death Valley. I can see a loss here; it's a very real possibility. Out of this game, Virginia Tech, Maryland, and Boston College, I think we go 3-1 at absolute best. 1-3 would just about hold true to Bowden's Law. I think, however, our talent level is high enough to eclipse the normal pitfalls, and I think we manage to pull a victory from the jaws of defeat against Tech, to use a hacky sports cliche.

I normally hate it when prognosticators make up big scenarios for games instead of just predicting a score, but I'm going to go against my better judgment and do just that. The 2001 Clemson-GT game was on ESPN Classic this week, and I'm throwing back to it for my prediction. Much like that game, it goes to overtime. GT kicks a field goal, but when the Tigers get the ball, James Davis takes it to the house in front of friends and family and wins the game. Vegas set the over/under on this game at 50, and with both teams able to control the clock there's no way the 2001 score of 47-44 is duplicated, so...

Clemson 27, GT 24

BEES! GIANT GODDAMNED BEES!

Willy Mac: This game, like Chili said, is very, very, very losable. Everyone was so worried about our performance against La Mo and Furman but you've got to remember a few things here:

1) It's very hard to get yourselves psyched up for those games. Normally, we play down and they play up, which still isn't nearly good enough.

2) We had most of our backups in all game long.

3) We were tinkering and working on different things. Those games were just tune up games.

4) We proved that we can hang in competition up at NC State.

Given those reasons, our wins are still suspect as they came over an ever shaky FSU team and an under .500 Wolfpack team. This game will be one more rung on the ladder but I think we're more talented and certainly faster than the Jackets. Also, our first team ability to crush running backs so far this season is a huge factor. If we can force them to play a defensive game like we did last year and keep our offense on the field, we've got this thing won.

Clemson 27, Georgia Tech 17

When Chili and I went to the GT/UVA game last year, I was well into a coma by the fourth quarter.