Clemson 2008

I know the pre-season is full of hype and a bunch of unkowns, and give that spring training hasn't happened yet, it's still way early.  But given what we do know:

1.  You guys were a decent team last year and should remain one this year.

2.  The ACC is weak, and there's not a game on your shedule that if the line were set today you wouldn't be favored in.

There's every reason to believe that you guys will be in the national title hunt simply on virtue of going undefeated this upcoming season.  But what else do we know about last year's Clemson team?  That they a) struggled to beat an awful Carolina squad, and b) followed that up with a loss to the fifth place SEC team.

Like I said, you guys have a weak schedule which should give you the great potential to go undefeated, which in most years will get any team from a BCS conference into the National Title game.  BUT, do you guys really think you're ready to take on the likes of Georgia, Florida, or even Southern Cal?  What if you do get awarded the national title game off your weak schedule, and your team then procedes to get obliterated?  Are you ready for that?  Are you ready to replace Ohio State as the next laughing stock of the nation? 

Of course, Ohio State is also set to play nobody next season.  So, it'll be just the rest of the nation's luck that two untested, yet undefeated squads will face off in the title game, and no one will ever be able to be the wiser.  Then again, maybe that will be lucky.  Maybe that will finally bring about the demise of the BCS and bring forth an 8 team playoff.  Maybe, as a BCS system hater, I should be cheering you guys on.

You are a funny, funny chickenman.

I don't believe I've heard any Clemson fans claiming that the Tigers will go undefeated this year.

We don't play Carolina in 2008, nor have we played Carolina in several years.  Those Tar Heels will be back on our schedule soon.

We do play South Carolina...they add to Clemson's "weak schedule".

So who on your weak schedule are you losing to, then, since it ain't Carolina?  Duke?  NCST?  A completely rebuilding Boston College?  The Virginia Cavaliers that got creamed by Wyoming last year?  A scandal ridden, decaying FSU squad?  One hit wonder Wake Forest?  Alabama, who lost in even more embarassing ways than Carolina did last year?

The Citadel, of course.  They are fearsome, what being Div II-A and all.  That's right, they're not even FCS.  I've been giving you guys too much credit.

Of course, I guess you might believe your team to not even be as good as I don't think you are.  Nah, that can't be it.  Clemson fans haven't ever come down from 1980.  Most of y'all still act like you're the reigning national champs, what, having won a single national title and all.

If you don't go undefeated with that schedule, than you might as well go ahead and scrape up the money to buy Tommy out.

We might be the Fighting Gamecocks, but at least we don't schedule like chickens.

With the way the past Gamecocks past 5 1/2 games went I would be hard pressed to call them the "Fighting Gamecocks"  Like was already discussed in the previous thread we can not determine who we play in the ACC.  We can't plan ahead with the thought of BC losin everyone.  We can't help that the revolving schedule has us playing UVA.  We can't help if matchups fall through and we are forced to pick up a Div II team to make up for this year. 

As of now we have games scheduled for the future against good teams.  That we can do something about.  You really have no reason of bashing Clemson anyways because South Carolina very rarely wins that game.  You enjoy your tough SOS and go 6-6, and we will be ranked at the end of the season.  I know I have no problem with that.

Except by the time you were "forced" (you weren't forced, your AD chose weak competition just for the sake of 8 home games), you already knew your ACC schedule and how weak it was going to be.  Your AD would probably schedule 12 home games against Div II-A foes if he wasn't forced by his conference to have away games.

There's no excuses.  Your AD most definitely chose the pathetic OOC schedule you have. 

I know, there's no denying it.  With a schedule like that you will be ranked.  But the ranking will be just as shallow as the one that got Hawai'i to the Sugar Bowl. 

Oh well, it's not like you guys are going to beat VT in the ACC title game, anyway.  Maybe you need to go ahead and move to a conference you can win, like the Sun Belt or something.

agreed! Clemson cant win the weak ACC so they need to move to an even weaker conference.

yeah, Carolina cant win the SEC either, at least not yet, but we also play tough teams that we're not expected to beat half the time.

"yeah, Carolina cant win the SEC either, at least not yet, but we also play tough teams that we're not expected to beat half the time."

Haha, congratulations. 

Actually they were forced because we had been set play La. Laf.  but they dropped us to play Miss. St. (Again, as I previously stated, they are not world beaters but they are Div I and we were in an agreement to play them this year).  So therefore, we had to pick up another Div II for this year only. 

This argument could go on forever but you can be happy with your 3-5 conference standings and padding our Wins along with most of your other conference teams.  We will continue to try to get to the ACCCG, which I have a very strong feeling that we will get there this year.  Enjoy going 6-6.  Maybe you guys should join the WAC, maybe that way you will get to go to a bowl game.

You should be careful what you say about Div II teams.  If I recall correctly, haven't Wofford and SC St given you guys a couple scares recently.

Hey, your talking to the wrong dude if you think I think highly of a Div I-A team that just barely squeaks by a Div I-AA, or worse, Div II-A team.  The difference is we've never scheduled Wofford and SCSt in the same year.

I have very little doubt you guys should finally make the ACC title game this year.  Afterall, look at the competition you'll have in your division this year?  If you don't make it this year, then you better making buy-out plans.  The problem is the accomplishment is nowhere near what it once was, and your guys, having not played a competitive game all year, won't be prepared to be there.

Look, La Laf should've been a blessing in disguise.  It should've been an opurtunity for your AD to beef up what has turned out to be an extremely weak schedule for you.  Your AD should've said to himself, "You know what, we've already got one FCS team on our schedule, I'm going to work my butt off to make sure we don't have a second."  Instead, he chose the easy way out, and cheated your team out of a quality football game.

But alas, I'm starting to see that you kitten fans don't care that you're going to have an untested and unproven team being thrown to the VT wolves in the what's become less than glorious ACC Title Game.  Maybe you could see if Colt Brennan is available to play qb in that game.

Repetitious drivel?  You're the one posting the exact same post in several threads.  Can't even come up with original thoughts. 

Defend the argument, if you can.  Otherwise, keep your distracting spittle to yourself.

Again, (I don't know exactly what had happened because I don't work for the school, but this is my understanding) they dropped us and we pretty much have our schedule set for next year.  So we just needed to schedule a game at short notice for one year and not a home & home.

Also, according to you guys that we always beat you because we play such an easy schedule so maybe that will help us against VT too. 

I also hope you guys enjoy that toughest schedule title and go 6-6 again.

All I'm saying is that was a short sighted way to fill a schedule hole, and look what you got for it; two completely meaningless games in what already feals to most die hard football fans as too short a football season. 

Phillips very easily could've filled not just the '08 hole, but one in the future as well.  And, AND, with already having 7 home games this season, you guys could've gone on the road this year, and scheduled an extra home game in a future season.  There were a ton more options than Philips was willing to explore.

Ok I am not in the athletic dept.  This will never get anywhere.  What's done is done and we have to deal with it.  We will enjoy our easy schedule and top 25 finish.  Not to mention, even though it is an easy team it is another great day of tailgaiting in beautiful Clemson. 

Again you guys have fun taking pride that you play a tough schedule and going 6-6 or 7-5.  I look forward to starting another streak, and hopefully extending it more than 4 games against your team.

Agreed, what's done is done, but with none of you fans voicing any displeasure, the same thing could very easily happen again given a similar circumstance. 

Truthfully, the ACC is more Carolina's competition level.  Truthfully, that's the conference they should be in.  Truthfully, I'd rather not have to take on Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and an LSU or Auburn EVERY SINGLE YEAR.  One or two of them, yes, but all four is a bit much when added to Arkansas and Clemson as well.  But reality is, money rules the world and there's a lot more of it in the SEC.  Another reality is that I am guaranteed a whole lot of quality football throughout the entire season. 

And when I do go tailgaiting, I can rest assured knowing that I'm actually looking forward to watching the game.  I may not like the outcome, but at least I look forward to it starting.

PS, Spurrier's second and third recruiting classes, top 15 and top 5, are now sophomores and juniors.  I wouldn't overlook us quite yet, if I were you.  I'm not predicting wins over Georgia or Florida, who have gotten top 10 classes for who knows how many years in a row now, but that kind of talent does put us right in line, if not ahead of a certain team in the upstate.

I do follow recruiting and take much pleasure in it (more recently than in the past with Clemson), but they are no gaurantees.  Example: you would think that a 5* receiver would at least make 1 reception on the year.  Both teams have had major contributors that are 2* & 3* as well.  Both teams have good talent and are appearing to get better talent.  But USC has been "out-recruiting" Clemson for quite a while but it does not show in the head-to-head.

So basically, I would not say that USC is ahead of Clemson at this time.