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Pick the score: Alabama vs. Clemson NCG

robertn said:
Turnovers mainly. We'll sell out to stop the run and force Coker to pass. The only problem is the Clemson secondary is a bit more formidable than Sparty's.

A couple of short field situations can lead to quick points.
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I think your going to find out that Coker is more formidable than you perceive and that our defense is something Watson will remember for a long time. Maybe even 105 years. the last time you beat us.
 
I think the Alabama O v. Clemson D is just as compelling of a matchup and it has gotten lost in the discussion due to the other matchup being elite on elite. I agree that 2015 Clemson's DBs are better than 2015 Sparty's DBs.

The big thing I noticed was that Clemson really didn't impose their will on Oklahoma until both of their tailbacks got dinged. They just kinda sat back in zone once OU had been relegated to their old school air raid approach that they had gotten away from in the last few years. What the showed me is that you don't want to get into a one-dimensional scenario with their back seven. The Clemson DL is actually pretty dang nasty and getting underrated due to Alabama's being probably the deepest unit in recent history. I don't think Clemson's LB group is the best we've seen this year but they're not negatives. They move pretty well into their zone drops. Probably the same book in the secondary. They're not a negative unit but they do make plays. Because of the DL play being a revelation coming off massive turnover from 2014, they've been afforded the ability to be a bit more conservative in the back seven.

The back end of the season did show some fraying on their excellent start. Like I said at the top, OU was holding their own until Mixon then Perrine went down. No balance and that offense just absolutely mauling OU's pass-rush centric front on the ground did them in. If Alabama struggles to keep Clemson's O in check and it becomes a shootout...yeah I think Clemson will win.

My best attempt at being unbiased sees Clemson struggling to establish the ground game like they expect (they'll run as well as anybody has on us but under 200) and Alabama being able to slowly salt away at their front seven. Turnovers and special teams loom large though...Clemson wins on those fronts, I think they win the ball game. If Coker's new found timing and respect for the football since late October holds up, I think Alabama wins.
 
JBama_in_PCOLA said:
No it really isn't you. Believe me.


You know, I agree with you. Clemson's secondary is better than MSU's but against what competition. Let's be honest. It isn't like the ACC is the best conference in football. When you struggle to be the worst team in the SEC, that has to be troublesome. Yes, USCe was worst than Vanderbilt. Clemson has been giving up a little bit too much on the defensive side of the ball. Oklahoma, which did play their way in to the playoff so I got to give them credit, was probably the worst team to make it there in the two years of the CFP. Don't expect Bama to turn the ball over. If you are expecting it, even with your team -1 in turnover ratio it is going to be a long night for you guys.
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You know we're used to every top 10 team we beat being renamed bad teams. We're also used to people telling us we're going to lose to those teams the week before because they are much better than Clemson.
 
The thing with turnovers is it is hard to bet on them and sometimes they happen in the weirdest way. Just gotta see the game play out. Sometimes you can even lose the turnover margin and win the game. Football is an odd game like that.
 
Clemson has only played 3 good defenses. Only managed to score 20, 24, and 23 against Louisville, Notre Dame, and FSU. I honestly think their defense is better than their offense. Dalvin Cook ran all over them for 194 yards and only 37 coming in the second. Same with Samaje Perine. He was running all over them until he got hurt. So they make good half time adjustments, but I don't think it will be enough to stop Henry and Drake (I expect a huge game from Drake both receiving and rushing, it's my stone cold lock of the week). Our defensive game plan will be simple enough, rush 4 and have a spy on Watson. He doesn't seem to handle pressure very well, so we keep him contained and make him pass. I'm thinking we get 2 INTs (food for thought, Coker has 8 INTs, Watson has 12).

We win 41-17
 
robertn said:
You know we're used to every top 10 team we beat being renamed bad teams. We're also used to people telling us we're going to lose to those teams the week before because they are much better than Clemson.
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So did we, welcome to the big time. Bama ruined season's, multiple times this year. We could have beaten MSU even if we stuck with the run. And I believe we will beat you with more balance, I doubt you will sell out. My grandfather played guard at Clemson back in the day. I keep up with you guys.
 
I will say it is VERY odd that Clemson is -1 TO margin and 14-0. Michigan (10-3) and Notre Dame (10-3) are the only 10+ win teams with a negative turnover margin other than Clemson. Washington State (9-4) and Mississippi State (9-4) are the two next best teams in that negative TO margin group.

Not going to go as far to call it fraudulent that they're 14-0 but they sure did cover down on their mistakes pretty well.
 
robertn said:
You know we're used to every top 10 team we beat being renamed bad teams. We're also used to people telling us we're going to lose to those teams the week before because they are much better than Clemson.
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By the way, on this board we weren't really saying that. OK got by playing bad teams with no defense and no starting QB. We mostly saw the writing on the wall. I picked Clemson to beat them and play Bama in the CFBCG as well.


Sent from my iPhone 6+ using Tapatalk
 
rgw said:
I will say it is VERY odd that Clemson is -1 TO margin and 14-0. Michigan (10-3) and Notre Dame (10-3) are the only 10+ win teams with a negative turnover margin other than Clemson. Washington State (9-4) and Mississippi State (9-4) are the two next best teams in that negative TO margin group.

Not going to go as far to call it fraudulent that they're 14-0 but they sure did cover down on their mistakes pretty well.
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ACC? Could you get away with that in the SEC West? I think not
 
I mean, I can't deny that the ACC gave Clemson more of a margin for error. Doesn't hurt that FSU's offense was kind of a mess this year.

The thing is we've seen plenty of times from the ACC with FSU in the 90s and early 00s that it doesn't really matter at all in winner take all. They've got talent and just have to play one great game to take home the hardware. There's a reason why Bowden decided to stay in Tallahassee instead of come here, it is better to play a two game season with elite Southern talent than play a 5 or so game season in the SEC. That margin for error with FSU probably cost him a title or two but might have helped a lot in the years they broke through.
 
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