Beating Clemson

[imaolgatiger 523]

Night time home game at Jordan Hare.

Lawson coming off the edge.

A better than average defensive backfield.

A much better than average defensive line.

Robinson getting 25 carries.

White throwing for over 250.

Severe losses on Clemson's defensive side of the ball.

Perhaps a touch of Clemson overconfidence.

Auburn wins

That's how I would describe what I think is going to happen. We are going to get on them early and hold on for the win.

[Tiger 8,827]

If we can get a special teams TD or a turnover on their own side of the field it will make that evening way easier on us. It's extremely unlikely that our O will be ready to put up gobs of points directly out of the gate and it's even less likely that our D will be good enough in game 1 to manage Clemson's explosive offense and point total below what our offense will be able to produce without having some big time turnovers.

[KerryThachWDE 42]

I think this game will be close. our strength (defense) vs their strength (offense). our offense has tons of question marks and they're replacing most of their defense.

[TAYLORKEETON 792]

Honestly have a hard time predicting this since we don't have a starting QB named. It's 2 totally diff games with JF3 & SW. Hard to make a prediction, IMO

[AUTUmike 79]

We'll see what happens, but on paper we match up well in containing Watson. We have great DEs that should be able to keep him in the pocket, and interior lineman who can get some push up the middle. As others have posted, Watson is the best player in the country heading into this season, so I'm sure he'll get his yards--we just need to keep him from having a career day.

[N2AUtigers 5]

AUs defense has always fared decent against established QBS. It's always the freshman or first time starters that gives us fits. I don't have a prediction yet, but it's definitely a winnable game if our O can put up some points..

[WarDamnEagleWDE 12,737]

I love summer prediction times.

[AU80cruiser 1,102]

We'll see what happens, but on paper we match up well in containing Watson. We have great DEs that should be able to keep him in the pocket, and interior lineman who can get some push up the middle. As others have posted, Watson is the best player in the country heading into this season, so I'm sure he'll get his yards--we just need to keep him from having a career day.

While I think our Dline will be strong I can only hope clemson is replacing most of their Oline. We need our Dline to have a career day and they won't be able to do that against an experienced clemson Oline. So here's hoping to clemson needing to break in some freshmen tackles.

[aucanucktiger 1,794]

Watson is the only thing IMO between this Clemson squad being a top 10 caliber team and a Miami caliber team. Contain the "Heisman favorite" and hit him often. Their current D is a totally new conversation.

[AuburnNTexas 7,149]

I think this will be a coming out party for the D-Line. I also think we have DB's who can cover their receivers as long as Watkins has to throw in a reasonable amount of time. Question is Watkins ability to keep the play alive. If D-Line can flush him then LB's have to get to him. LB is the big ? on D. I think they will be good enough to slow down but not stop the Clemson O.

Jovon & Kerryon must have big games with help from blocking backs and O-Line. If we have a serviceable QB whether it is Franklin as a run threat or SW passing we have a good chance of winning. I predict either an Auburn upset or a very close game where Clemson barely wins. I want to flat out predict an Auburn upset but can't quite pull the trigger.

[WarDamnEagleWDE 12,737]

Early line in Vegas is Clemson by 8

Vegas has AU's win total for 2016 at 6.5. Ouch.

[gravejd 3,270]

I think the most likely scenario is Clemson winning this one going away. Probably 20+ points.

Now i think we CAN win but it will require us regaining an offensive identity and being able to score some points. I don't care how good our D plays I think we'll need 20+ points to win this game. So we'll need a QB and a decent game plan to make that happen. We never seemed to be able to achieve that last year. The other thing that MUST happen is our DL will have to wreck havoc all game long. Clemson's weak point is OL where they have some new guys stepping in. If our DL can be disruptive in both the passing and rushing game AND contain the QB on scrambles then we have a shot to slow them down. If Watson has time or breaks contain consistently then we'll give up 50 points.

[AUIH1 1,515]

I think the most likely scenario is Clemson winning this one going away. Probably 20+ points.

Now i think we CAN win but it will require us regaining an offensive identity and being able to score some points. I don't care how good our D plays I think we'll need 20+ points to win this game. So we'll need a QB and a decent game plan to make that happen. We never seemed to be able to achieve that last year. The other thing that MUST happen is our DL will have to wreck havoc all game long. Clemson's weak point is OL where they have some new guys stepping in. If our DL can be disruptive in both the passing and rushing game AND contain the QB on scrambles then we have a shot to slow them down. If Watson has time or breaks contain consistently then we'll give up 50 points.

Agree except that I think we will need to score 30+ to win. Our D can play well against Clemson and still give up over 30. Gus needs to find his O genius genie.

wde

[McLoofus 35,182]

So we'll need a QB and a decent game plan to make that happen. We never seemed to be able to achieve that last year.

Not only *should* we be starting the season with the same guy who will finish it under center- knocks on wood and voodoo chants in full effect- but he will be surrounded by significantly more experience and will be minus one major nightmare. No matter what your feelings are about roster management, surely we can all agree that it's hard to come up with a good game plan when you're forced to turn to a redshirt freshman with exactly zero snaps midseason, only to be forced a few games later to turn back to the completely incapable guy. That they were both surrounded by freshmen, behind an inexperienced OL, and wondering why their best RB by far couldn't stay on the field made that good game plan all the more elusive.

If Watson has time or breaks contain consistently then we'll give up 50 points.

I think that's a pretty hefty exaggeration that credits Watson and discredits our secondary a little too much.

[autigeremt 6,635]

We are going to run the ball right down their throats. They will wear down and by the middle of the 3rd quarter we will be getting 4-6 yards a clip. Just go back and watch their defense the second half of 2015. Now...take away 9 starters off that defense and look again......

just my observations...as someone who watches Clemson nearly as much as I do our Auburn Tigers. Clemson gave up huge running performances against NC State, FSU, and others because of their lack of depth on the defensive side of the ball...especially the line.

Auburn 41

Clemson 34

[autigeremt 6,635]

Let me assure anyone on this board I despise clemson more than anyone here. See I refuse to even capitalize the name. I grew up 30 miles from there. Even when they were a shtty team, their fans were obnoxious. Now that they're winning, they are unbearable.clemson is my Alabama. I pulled for bama in the Nat champ game. Dabo is a pompous ass. Got a speeding ticket and they found cause to fire the deputy. Dabs never came to his defense. I'm saying deshaun Watson does not have a great game and we win. I hope. WDE

I meant what I put in OP title- "Clempson"

I've always wondered why people use that alternative spelling.

Being from right down the road (literally....game day traffic goes right by my parents house) I can only add that Carolinians, like most southerners tend to add letters to words where there aren't any. Blame our Irish/Scottish roots.

How old are you...just asking?

[alexava 6,973]

I predict I will have smoked a shoulder maybe ribs too. Will have a far more advanced buzz than usual via the late start. I just hope I don't pass out. Score will be in positive numbers for both teams with one being larger than the other. I don't think it will rain either.

[tigerbrotha12 2,362]

^^^^^

[gravejd 3,270]

So we'll need a QB and a decent game plan to make that happen. We never seemed to be able to achieve that last year.

Not only *should* we be starting the season with the same guy who will finish it under center- knocks on wood and voodoo chants in full effect- but he will be surrounded by significantly more experience and will be minus one major nightmare. No matter what your feelings are about roster management, surely we can all agree that it's hard to come up with a good game plan when you're forced to turn to a redshirt freshman with exactly zero snaps midseason, only to be forced a few games later to turn back to the completely incapable guy. That they were both surrounded by freshmen, behind an inexperienced OL, and wondering why their best RB by far couldn't stay on the field made that good game plan all the more elusive.

If Watson has time or breaks contain consistently then we'll give up 50 points.

I think that's a pretty hefty exaggeration that credits Watson and discredits our secondary a little too much.

You know one of my biggest complaints from last year was that we had to run such a vanilla offense against State because White started. The guy had been in the program a year and went into the season as the backup QB. IMO if you have to dumb down the game plan because your backup QB has to start a game, then the coach isn't doing his job. Its not like JJ is M. Vick and White is P. Manning and their skill sets are so different that they require 2 completely different game plans. So i hope this is something Malzahn works on for the future. Be prepared to play the BACKUP QB!!

[SumterAubie 3,031]

Early line in Vegas is Clemson by 8

Vegas has AU's win total for 2016 at 6.5. Ouch.

I'll take the over.

[McLoofus 35,182]

So we'll need a QB and a decent game plan to make that happen. We never seemed to be able to achieve that last year.

Not only *should* we be starting the season with the same guy who will finish it under center- knocks on wood and voodoo chants in full effect- but he will be surrounded by significantly more experience and will be minus one major nightmare. No matter what your feelings are about roster management, surely we can all agree that it's hard to come up with a good game plan when you're forced to turn to a redshirt freshman with exactly zero snaps midseason, only to be forced a few games later to turn back to the completely incapable guy. That they were both surrounded by freshmen, behind an inexperienced OL, and wondering why their best RB by far couldn't stay on the field made that good game plan all the more elusive.

If Watson has time or breaks contain consistently then we'll give up 50 points.

I think that's a pretty hefty exaggeration that credits Watson and discredits our secondary a little too much.

You know one of my biggest complaints from last year was that we had to run such a vanilla offense against State because White started. The guy had been in the program a year and went into the season as the backup QB. IMO if you have to dumb down the game plan because your backup QB has to start a game, then the coach isn't doing his job. Its not like JJ is M. Vick and White is P. Manning and their skill sets are so different that they require 2 completely different game plans. So i hope this is something Malzahn works on for the future. Be prepared to play the BACKUP QB!!

I'm not sure if you don't acknowledge the shortcomings elsewhere on the offensive roster that I mentioned, or if you just don't think they affected the play calling at all last year. If it's the latter, then I won't argue with you* but I will strongly disagree with you. As for a redshirt freshman getting not only his first start but his first snaps against an SEC opponent only one year removed from being #1 in the nation for a minute... yeah, I'd personally think that would absolutely change the game plan, especially when they'd probably had to spend every waking second of the previous few weeks trying to figure out how to fix the preseason Heisman candidate.

*Actually, I will argue with you. Our center had two false starts in MSU territory in that game. Our 2nd leading rusher after Sean was a true freshman. Our 2nd leading receiver? That same true freshman. Our best RB didn't even play. Freshmen at HB and TE. That's the kind of experience that was surrounding our first time QB and that Gus was trying to call plays for.

[johnnyAU 3,630]

Early line in Vegas is Clemson by 8

Vegas has AU's win total for 2016 at 6.5. Ouch.

I'll take the over.

Me too

[gravejd 3,270]

So we'll need a QB and a decent game plan to make that happen. We never seemed to be able to achieve that last year.

Not only *should* we be starting the season with the same guy who will finish it under center- knocks on wood and voodoo chants in full effect- but he will be surrounded by significantly more experience and will be minus one major nightmare. No matter what your feelings are about roster management, surely we can all agree that it's hard to come up with a good game plan when you're forced to turn to a redshirt freshman with exactly zero snaps midseason, only to be forced a few games later to turn back to the completely incapable guy. That they were both surrounded by freshmen, behind an inexperienced OL, and wondering why their best RB by far couldn't stay on the field made that good game plan all the more elusive.

If Watson has time or breaks contain consistently then we'll give up 50 points.

I think that's a pretty hefty exaggeration that credits Watson and discredits our secondary a little too much.

You know one of my biggest complaints from last year was that we had to run such a vanilla offense against State because White started. The guy had been in the program a year and went into the season as the backup QB. IMO if you have to dumb down the game plan because your backup QB has to start a game, then the coach isn't doing his job. Its not like JJ is M. Vick and White is P. Manning and their skill sets are so different that they require 2 completely different game plans. So i hope this is something Malzahn works on for the future. Be prepared to play the BACKUP QB!!

I'm not sure if you don't acknowledge the shortcomings elsewhere on the offensive roster that I mentioned, or if you just don't think they affected the play calling at all last year. If it's the latter, then I won't argue with you* but I will strongly disagree with you. As for a redshirt freshman getting not only his first start but his first snaps against an SEC opponent only one year removed from being #1 in the nation for a minute... yeah, I'd personally think that would absolutely change the game plan, especially when they'd probably had to spend every waking second of the previous few weeks trying to figure out how to fix the preseason Heisman candidate.

*Actually, I will argue with you. Our center had two false starts in MSU territory in that game. Our 2nd leading rusher after Sean was a true freshman. Our 2nd leading receiver? That same true freshman. Our best RB didn't even play. Freshmen at HB and TE. That's the kind of experience that was surrounding our first time QB and that Gus was trying to call plays for.

Every team every year has some issues. I do not think what we experienced last year was abnormal by any stretch. This year we lack depth at RB, lack of proven playmakers at WR, no proven QB, and probably about the same OL experience as we had last year. That doesn't mean I'll excuse Malazahn from having a strong offense. Great coaches make it work. Now if the week before the season starts we loose our top 2 QBs I'll understand some struggles. So I don't think I'm being unreasonable here.

[McLoofus 35,182]

Fair enough. I agree that Gus doesn't have an excuse this year for a repeat of last year. I think we'll field much improved personnel, though.

[FoundationEagle 637]

I predict a cat 2 hurricane makes landfall somewhere in the gulf on around the Thursday before the game. By Saturday it will be passing through Auburn and the game will be cancelled. Much ado about nothing. On to Arkansas State!