Oklahoma vs. Clemson: Prediction Against the Spread

Most of you reading this are probably focused on Thursday’s Orange Bowl, where No. 1 Clemson (13-0) will face No. 4 Oklahoma (11-1) in a College Football Playoff Semifinal. The Orange Bowl and the Cotton Bowl will decide who participates in the National Championship.

The Orange Bowl, which will take place at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., will be broadcast on ESPN. Afterward, OU players took it upon themselves to hold each other accountable for the program’s success.

While no one is ready to bury the ol’ adage that defense wins championships, it needs a bit of tweaking with these teams. It doesn’t apply where the Tigers are concerned. All three games will be televised nationally by ESPN. Still, the Tigers have eight other players with 10 or more receptions in 2015.

Coach Dabo Swinney can only scratch his head, and then some.

With the Spartans likely to sell out to make sure they aren’t the latest Henry victim, it’s going to be up to Jake Coker to make plays in the passing game. “I’ve never been a part of that”. When he pulls the ball down and he’s trying to throw it, he can make some great plays when he pulls the ball down to run as well.

Oklahoma (11-1) followed a similar path to the College Football Playoff. Swinney has always proclaimed that if his team could achieve all of those goals in a season, “We’re gonna win it all”.

That is not the case with the two semifinal games on this New Year’s Eve.

They had heard what had been said about them during last year’s television broadcast. “They completely smashed us”. Quarterback Baker Mayfield has tallied 3,389 passing yards, 35 touchdowns and five interceptions on the year. This game could go either way, but my gut tells me to go with the Sooners here.

The last few games of the season were a struggle at times for cornerback Zack Sanchez after he returned from an ankle injury he suffered against Texas Tech on October 24. Since losing to Texas, Mayfield has led the Sooners to 44 or more points in six of their last seven games. “We’re just going to play the game”, Clemson junior safety T.J. Green said.

The Sooners reeled off seven straight wins to close the season and secure the right to represent the Big 12 Conference in the College Football Playoff after the conference was shunned in 2014. The true freshman star recorded a touchdown reception in five consecutive games, breaking the freshman record set by fellow Floridian Sammy Watkins.

Clemson has also been stingy on defense. But Shepard has stayed healthy this season and he’s been Baker Mayfield’s top target with 79 catches for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns. Turnovers always matter. And that ought to unnerve Clemson, which has lost the ball 25 times this season to rank among the nation’s worst in the category. Because on third downs, only Boston College was stingier than the Tigers in the regular season. They’re the ones that have to deal with the consequences because they’re missing out on a great opportunity.

Senior tackle Eric Mac Lain said this week’s talk is nothing new and that the Tigers are prepared for it. “I’m determined to come back stronger than ever before!” Mayfield offers more of a threat with his legs but Watson is the more prolific passer.

Dabo Swinney’s undefeated Clemson team comes into this huge matchup without one of their young weapons on the outside after Deon Cain was suspended earlier this week for failing a drug test. However, Heisman Trophy finalist Deshaun Watson, running back Wayne Gallman, and Shaq Lawson and the Tigers defense are still more than capable of getting the job done.

The Tigers have already made their mark in the Queen City and they’re looking to make their way out west for the National Championship game, but they first have to handle business in South Beach.

Clemson: QB Deshaun Watson. Cain took to his personal Instagram account (deoncain8) to apologize. “We’ve got to be on edge every time”.

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