CFN's Orange Bowl Prediction

Dec 13, 2013, 5:28 PM

The following is College Football News's prediction for our Orange Bowl matchup:

EARLY QUICK PREVIEW

Ohio State vs. Clemson
Oates, Garfunkel, 2013 Ohio State and Clemson. The two power programs are playing second banana in their respective conferences to Michigan State and Florida State, as those two get to have all the fun in Pasadena, albeit in different games. However, there’s a chance for Ohio State to finish in the top four in the final rankings, depending on what happens in the other big games, while for Clemson, after the tremendous win over LSU in last year’s Chick-fil-A Bowl, this could be another shot at legitimacy after failing miserably in two of the three big games this year – beating Georgia in the opener, but getting blown away by Florida State and losing to South Carolina.

Three Reasons Why You Have To Watch This Bowl

1. No matter what happens in this game, it can’t be more interesting or eventful than the only time the two hooked up. Clemson won the 1978 Gator Bowl 17-15, but no one remembers that. Charlie Bauman would go into college football lore as the guy who was sucker punched by legendary Ohio State head coach Woody Hayes following an interception. Urban Meyer is unlikely to continue the tradition.

2. Ohio State is back in a big-time bowl game. Had they been eligible, and had they gotten by Nebraska in the 2012 Big Ten championship, the Buckeyes – not Alabama – would’ve played Notre Dame for the national title. The 2011 transition team lost to Florida in the Gator Bowl, but before that, BCS bowls were part of the norm, going to six straight under Jim Tressel.

3. There’s a chance this could be the most impressive of the BCS matchups, at least outside of the BCS championship. Clemson came into the season as one of the HOT programs, and it has the firepower and the talent to test an Ohio State defense that couldn’t stop a mediocre Michigan State attack and was clowned by Devin Gardner and Michigan.

And Why You Shouldn’t Care A Lick: Helped by Clemson’s 70-33 loss to West Virginia in the 2012 game, the Orange Bowl has been awful since Kansas beat Virginia Tech 24-21 in 2008. The last five games have been blowouts with varying degrees of interesting, including the Florida State light scrimmage against NIU last year.

Three Names To Drop To Make Every Man Want You And Every Woman Fear You

1. QB Tajh Boyd, Sr. Clemson – It’s debatable, but at least in terms of stats, Boyd is the greatest quarterback in ACC history. However, he never quite gets his due nationally because his team doesn’t always come up with the big wins in the clutch moments – 156 yards and two picks against Florida State this year was part of the problem. If he and Clemson win this, he goes out as a true Tiger legend.

2. RB Carlos Hyde, Sr. Ohio State – When asked if he thought he should’ve given Hyde more than 18 carries against Michigan State, Urban Meyer glumly mumbled, “yup.” The big, bruising back was cranking out 6.6 yards per carry against the Spartans, yet the offense started to go away from him in key moments in the second half. The Urbster isn’t going to make the same mistake twice.

3. WR Sammy Watkins, Jr. Clemson – After a down sophomore season, Watkins came back roaring with 85 catches for 1,237 yards and ten scores on the way to earning a spot as a Biletnikoff finalist. He was held in check – relatively speaking – by Florida State and South Carolina, scoring against the Seminoles but failing to hit 100 yards against either team. Almost certainly off to the NFL after this game, this is his chance to showcase what he can do against a good, not great, Tide secondary.

Gut-Reaction Pick That Might Change In The Next Few Days On A Whim: Ohio State 38, Clemson 13

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CFN's Orange Bowl Prediction

"...Tide secondary"? lol***

Saw thar too - apparently wrote the article and then

If they (OSU) hold us to 13 points with their secondary

I'll kiss somebody's naked butt on 123 in Easley...

Re: I'll kiss somebody's naked butt on 123 in Easley...

Re: I'll kiss somebody's naked butt on 123 in Easley...

^^^ Wants a guy to kiss his butt ^^^... Counter offer?***

Re: ^^^ Wants a guy to kiss his butt ^^^... Counter offer?***

Awww... Did I hort it's pheeelings? But as a counter offer...

Re: Awww... Did I hort it's pheeelings? But as a counter offer...

How about I just drop you... That's not a question for me.***

And give'em two weeks to draw a crowd!!!!!!!!!!***

Tide Secondary?

13 points... Lol

Clearly whoever wrote that isn't a serious analyst but an

Only 13 pts for TiGS....BS!!!! ***

Ohio State hasn't held any decent team to 13 points this

We should at least be in the 35+/- range. They just don't

Re: CFN's Orange Bowl Prediction

geee----thanks for sharing....NOT*******

Will you give Clemson & 25

Re: CFN's Orange Bowl Prediction

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