2017 BAHAMAS BOWL – CLEMSON vs ALABAMA
ALABAMA -3 CLEMSON (47)
MEGALOCKS LINE – Clemson -1
Sagarin ratings – Alabama -1
“Vegas” Implied Projected Score: Alabama 25 Clemson 22
The Game
Welcome to THE TRILOGY.
ROLL TIDE and Clemson duke it out for BIG STAKES for the third season in a row and it all takes place in the Sugar Bowl on Monday night. The Tigers finished up another great regular season with a 12-1 mark with their only loss coming on a game in which their starting QB was injured. Then again, that game was vs Syracuse. They easily disposed of YOUR Miami Hurricanes and enter this game in fine form. ROLL TIDE were on a collision course with DESTINY and another SEC title until they ran into the Auburn Tigers buzzsaw at the end of the year. ROLL TIDE still slithered into the playoff with an 11-1 mark and are a yuuuuuge threat to take all the marbles. Let’s gooooo !!
The Match-Up
Alabama offense vs Clemson defense
ROLL TIDE has the #8 rushing offense in the FBS and are going to do their best to hammer the Clemson defense into submission. The Harris/Bo combo has tallied 1400+ yards rushing, and when you include the mobility of Hurts (768, 8 TD), the ROLL TIDE running game is a real force and will be the key to the game for the offense. They are a bit limited in the passing game with only one proven weapon (Calvin Ridley 896, 3 TD) and will have to find a way to make the ground game work so that the Clemson offense stays off the field. QB Jalen Hurts is a proven winner and very smart with the football (15-1 TD to INT) but he MUST hit some big plays in the passing game for ROLL TIDE to win this game. Clemson brings the #2 scoring defense and #6 total defense into this epic TRILOGY match-up. The defense does it all. #3 in the FBS in sacks per game. #6 in TFL. Great vs the run and the pass. 5th in the FBS on 3rd downs. Oh boy. ROLL TIDE has had success running the ball on the Tigers in the past two meetings and Clemson has to find a way to slow down that rushing attack. Jalen Hurts is lacking in supplementary weapons this time around.
Clemson offense vs Alabama defense
The Tigers have a very balanced offense and rank #30 in the FBS overall. QB Kelly Bryant had an excellent first season completing 67% of his passes with 13 TDs and only 6 INTs (362 attempts). He has also rushed for 646 yards and 11 TDs in his spare time. RBs T Feaster and T Etienne combined for 1,400 yards and 20 TDs. The passing game is very diverse with reliable Deon Cain leading the team with 659 yards receiving. They lack the #1 devastating force a la Mike Williams last season but they are just as hard to defend this year with the CORNUCOPIA of options. ROLL TIDE shows up as 2-3-2 in terms of total defense, run defense and pass efficiency defense. They are solid on 3rd downs and decent at getting PENETRATION. You have to ask yourself this – Can ROLL TIDE stop the variety of options that Clemson has on offense including the devastating mobility of the QB ? <grabs popcorn>
Motivation / Intangibles
ROLL TIDE – You can cite “revenge”, but in a game like this, that seems like a bit of a stretch. We are not sure their confidence is where it needs to be after the way they ended the season.
Grade – Average.
Clemson – Not much to say. Impossible to not get up for this game and our boy DABO just may be the best HC in college football.
Grade – Average.
MEGA BOWL BITES
These teams know each other well….after all….it is round three of the TRILOGY…..BAMA’s resume….17 over Fla St…..A&M by 8….LSU by 14….Miss St by 7…..Lost to Auburn……Clemson ? Auburn by 8….Cards by 26….BC by 27…..VT by 14….Wake by 14….Lost to Cuse (?) with QB injured.
Summary
It’s time for the 3rd BOWL SEASON edition of tales from BAND CAMP STORY GUY…..One year in BAND CAMP Clemson QB Kelly Bryant was not as good as Deshaun Watson and Clemson could never beat ROLL TIDE. Live look in ? Last time we checked Bryant just finished a 15/15 run vs Miami, is a more electric runner and is getting better as the season is moving along. ROLL TIDE ? It’s not a sexy narrative but ROLL TIDE has the LOWEST passing yards per game (200) since 2010 and are ranked the lowest (#9) in the SEC in passing yards since 2010. And they only have one legitimate target. So what ? We worry about how Clemson is going to MATRICULATE in the passing game without D Watson but how is ROLL TIDE gonna make waves in the passing game ? They have been more balanced in recent history than you might think.
Bonus material. Clemson has allowed 3.12 yards per carry and just 5 (!!) rushing TDs all season long. 2016 ? 3.70 and 20. 2015 ? 3.54 and 18. It seems that the Tigers are well positioned for this game.
Conclusion
Official play: Clemson +3 -102. (sent 9:35pm EST Dec 30) (play down to +1.5)