Reasons Tech Could Surprise Clemson

CiraldoForever

CiraldoForever

Damn Good Rat
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1- We seem to play better when we are big underdogs. Remember the FSU blocked field goal game?

2- This is a big game for us, but probably just a "show up" game for Clemson.

3- We have played in front of more empty seats this year than any other team I can name. The crowd Saturday will be the biggest our team has seen all season, and the smallest Clemson has seen. This should get Tech charged up.

4- Clemson has a lot of talent, but they have under-performed this season. Texas A&M had a TD called back in the fourth quarter, and then scored one at the end of the game. Clemson had to stop a 2-point conversion to avoid OT at College Station.

5- If we can keep it close, Clemson might feel a lot of pressure. As much as we need a win, they are under more pressure not to lose. One loss against an unranked team could keep them out of the playoffs.

6- If you take away half our turnovers and one of the kickoff returns for TDs we gave up, we'd probably be 3 - 0 and ranked, in spite of all our bad execution.

We're 16.5 point underdogs based on how we've played. But, we could play better Saturday. Our team and coaches have made a lot of mistakes this year. But, if they've learned from them, we could stay in this game.
 
1. Our OL could suddenly grow 3 inches and gain 40 lbs this week
2. Our QB could suddenly look like a QB instead of a RB taking snaps from center
3. Our defense may learn to tackle this week
4. Paul Johnson may try something new this week instead of the same stuff he's done for 30 years
 
CiraldoForever said:
1- We seem to play better when we are big underdogs. Remember the FSU blocked field goal game?

2- This is a big game for us, but probably just a "show up" game for Clemson.

3- We have played in front of more empty seats this year than any other team I can name. The crowd Saturday will be the biggest our team has seen all season, and the smallest Clemson has seen. This should get Tech charged up.

4- Clemson has a lot of talent, but they have under-performed this season. Texas A&M had a TD called back in the fourth quarter, and then scored one at the end of the game. Clemson had to stop a 2-point conversion to avoid OT at College Station.

5- If we can keep it close, Clemson might feel a lot of pressure. As much as we need a win, they are under more pressure not to lose. One loss against an unranked team could keep them out of the playoffs.

6- If you take away half our turnovers and one of the kickoff returns for TDs we gave up, we'd probably be 3 - 0 and ranked, in spite of all our bad execution.

We're 16.5 point underdogs based on how we've played. But, we could play better Saturday. Our team and coaches have made a lot of mistakes this year. But, if they've learned from them, we could stay in this game.
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The Tech crowd may be small, but the overall crowd won’t. Tech fans are too cheap to just not use their tickets.
 
Defensively, Swilling and Curry will be playing their first full game together, and the light could come on for the D. Maybe we hold Clemson to under 30.

Offensively, in the years where the OL is worth a damn, things usually start clicking a few games into the season. Maybe that will be the case and it will be this game. Even with a high-performing OL, the limitations at QB would still make 30+ points a stretch.

In the end, it would have to be the perfect storm like with Syracuse last year.
 
originalwombat said:
Defensively, Swilling and Curry will be playing their first full game together, and the light could come on for the D. Maybe we hold Clemson to under 30.

Offensively, in the years where the OL is worth a damn, things usually start clicking a few games into the season. Maybe that will be the case and it will be this game. Even with a high-performing OL, the limitations at QB would still make 30+ points a stretch.

In the end, it would have to be the perfect storm like with Syracuse last year.
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We'd need a perfect storm with a +3 or +4 turnover margin. This Clemson team is really good (maybe the best Clemson team, including the NC team) with their "weakness" (relative to the rest of their team) being the secondary. In my honest (not exaggerating) opinion, their weakness is the secondary and we have a better chance of being competitive if we do not throw a single pass.
 
beej67 said:
Every opponent we have spends half their spring drills preparing for us. The days of us catching other teams unprepared are over.
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We could always try spiking the gatorade. Kind of lo tech but you never know. Mebbe send hookers over to their hotel? Of course it'd be kind of late notice to scare up some ladies in the ATL. :lol2:
 
beej67 said:
Every opponent we have spends half their spring drills preparing for us. The days of us catching other teams unprepared are over.
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And Clemson JUST PLAYED Georgia Southern.
I know the offenses are different, but it got a nice warm up on an option based team.
 
CiraldoForever said:
1- We seem to play better when we are big underdogs. Remember the FSU blocked field goal game?

2- This is a big game for us, but probably just a "show up" game for Clemson.

3- We have played in front of more empty seats this year than any other team I can name. The crowd Saturday will be the biggest our team has seen all season, and the smallest Clemson has seen. This should get Tech charged up.

4- Clemson has a lot of talent, but they have under-performed this season. Texas A&M had a TD called back in the fourth quarter, and then scored one at the end of the game. Clemson had to stop a 2-point conversion to avoid OT at College Station.

5- If we can keep it close, Clemson might feel a lot of pressure. As much as we need a win, they are under more pressure not to lose. One loss against an unranked team could keep them out of the playoffs.

6- If you take away half our turnovers and one of the kickoff returns for TDs we gave up, we'd probably be 3 - 0 and ranked, in spite of all our bad execution.

We're 16.5 point underdogs based on how we've played. But, we could play better Saturday. Our team and coaches have made a lot of mistakes this year. But, if they've learned from them, we could stay in this game.
Click to expand...

I like your effort and enthusiasm.
 
beej67 said:
Every opponent we have spends half their spring drills preparing for us. The days of us catching other teams unprepared are over.
Click to expand...
This is true, but it was also true in 2014, when we ran roughshod over top 10 team after top 10 team. Just because they know what we're going to try to do doesn't mean they can stop it if we run it well.

That said, Brent ööööing Venables has made sure that Clemson is 1000% prepared for GT every season. Whereas cut blocks seem to be a problem for other teams, they defeat them like nobody's business. We are going to have to be on point with our execution, or it will absolutely get ugly.
 
Akinji07 said:
1. Tobias goes in the 2nd half and beats Clemson from a 3-21 deficit. 31-24
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OR: a squadron of flying monkeys flies out of my ass, descends upon the Clempsen sideline and seizes Brent Venables, flies off with him and drowns him in Lake Lanier so that he can't call the defenses.
 
This is the most uninspiring week I’ve had as a Tech fan. It’s like being an FCS team before the season opener again Alabama. I just hope we don’t get too embarrassed and no one gets injured.
 
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