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Thursday, November 15, 2007
Is Clemson ready for prime time?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Five burning questions as we head into the weekend:
1. Is Clemson ready for prime time? I believe I asked this question once before about the Tigers, just as they were getting ready to play Georgia Tech (a game they lost). Clemson has a history of knocking on the door of something special and then coming up short. If the Tigers (8-2) can beat Boston College Saturday night they will go to the ACC championship game. But can they get it done on national TV with a big chunk of the country watching?
2. Can the Bulldog Nation get up two weeks in a row? I talked to a lot of Georgia people who were in Sanford Stadium last Saturday and they said it was one of the best atmospheres ever. No question the crowd had an impact on the game. Can the Georgia people bring that same passion to Saturday’s game with Kentucky? There will be no black jerseys. Mark Richt won’t send the team onto the field after the first touchdown. It will just be 60 very important minutes of football and a game Georgia must win to have any hope of getting to Atlanta.
3. Can Notre Dame upset Duke? I’m serious. Have we seen anything this season to make us think Notre Dame (1-9) is better than Duke (1-9)? Duke coach Ted Roof began this season on a 20-game losing streak so he needs for something good to happen this week and next week against North Carolina. Beating the Irish at Notre Dame Stadium, something six other teams have done this season, would constitute as good news for Roof.
4. Will Urban Meyer turn Tim Tebow loose? If Tebow can score seven touchdowns on the road against South Carolina, what can he do at home against Florida Atlantic (5-4)? Tebow is definitely back in the Heisman Trophy race after rolling up 524 total yards last week. How long will Meyer stick with his young QB on Saturday?**
5. Which Arkansas team is going to show up against Mississippi State? Two weeks ago the Hogs ran for 541 yards against South Carolina. Last Saturday the Tennessee defense played its second best game of the season (the best was against Georgia) in beating Arkansas rather easily (34-13). Arkansas (6-4) needs to beat Mississippi State on Saturday or it runs the risk of finishing the season with three straight losses and a record of 6-6. That would not be good for coach Houston Nutt, whose team plays at LSU in the season finale on Nov. 23.
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