Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl Preview
December 24th, 2009 by Jeremy Shory
Clemson's CJ Spiller (thanks Icon SMI)
Don’t let the records fool you. Both teams enter their bowl game with 5 losses. But the difference is that Clemson comes into this game as the ACC Coastal Division champion and close runner up for the ACC title. Kentucky comes in with losses against some solid teams and a couple average teams. Not to forget that Clemson also has probably one of the most explosive players in all of the NCAA: CJ Spiller. He can run, catch, punt and kick return, and throw.
Looking at the stats for the Kentucky Wildcats, nothing, nor anyone, really jumps out at you. Their stats are actually mediocre at best, but Kentucky finds a way to keep games close as they only lost 2 games this season by more then 7 points. They boast a game changer in Randall Cobb. Throughout the regular season, Cobb led the team with 37 receptions for 427 yards and 4 touchdowns but he also ran the ball 84 times for 537 yards and 10 touchdowns. The guy is a playmaker for this team and tends to carry it on his back. Junior running back Derrick Locke carried the ball 177 times for just over 800 yards and 6 scores as well. The only problem is that Kentucky’s strength, running the ball, plays right into Clemson’s defensive strengths, rush defense.
Clemson comes in after back to back losses to tough teams in South Carolina and Georgia Tech. Tech got the best of Clemson twice during the season, so you know they will be pumped and ready to end the season on a high note. I would look for CJ Spiller to be all over the field in this game as it will be his last collegiate game. He may even run some wild cat and throw a couple times. Why not? He is that good! Watch for Spiller to end the game with somewhere close to 200 all purpose yards and 3 touchdowns. Again, he is that good. With Spiller carrying this team, that will allow first year starting QB Kyle Parker to take it easy and not force anything. He’ll be able to spread the ball around and look for TE Michael Palmer in the middle of the field and WR Jacoby Ford somewhere downfield as the Wildcat corners will not be able to cover him one on one.
I am expecting this game to remain close as both teams shake a little bit of the rust off, but I expect Clemson to come out in the second half and pretty much run away with it. Clemson is angry they finished the regular season with back to back losses and that the Gator Bowl decided to take an inferior Florida State team which left them with a pre-New Years bowl game.
Prediction: Clemson 31 – Kentucky 14
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