Clemson (8-4) is one of a few teams around the nation that had high hopes heading into the 2006 season, but faltered late in the year. The Tigers rose to as high as No. 10 in the country before losing three of their last four and falling into the Music City Bowl where they will face Kentucky (7-5) on December 29 th.
So what's been the problem with Clemson after they started 7-1? How about their rushing attack. The team averaged only 156.8 yards on the ground in their last four games, which is more than 100 below what they had been averaging. The Tigers reached the end zone 31 times on the ground, but only four of them came in the team's final four games. Two promising young running backs led Clemson on the ground, as sophomore James Davis and freshman C.J. Spiller combined for 2,048 yards and 27 touchdowns. The good news for Clemson? They are facing the worst rushing defense in the SEC this year, as Kentucky gave up 189 yards per game.
The defense has been the reason why Clemson is even in a bowl game, saving the Tigers from losing one or two more games. The group ranks 15 th nationally in scoring defense and passing defense.
Kentucky has certainly much to celebrate, as they will be venturing to their first bowl game since 1999 when they played in the Music City Bowl and lost to Syracuse 20-13. So the question becomes, how did the Wildcats get there this year? It's their offense; especially QB Andre Woodson. UK is putting up 26.6 points per game and 372.5 yards per game in offensive production. It was also an upset win against Georgia and reeling off four straight wins that got them to this point against Clemson.
Kentucky leads the SEC in passing at 274 yards per game and after committing 25 turnovers a year ago, the Wildcats only committed 15 in 2006. They've also created 28 turnovers on defense, which leads the conference, and the plus-13 turnover ratio is fifth in the nation.
One has to think that there will be some sort of conference pride on the line in this game as anytime you put an ACC team on the same field with a team from the Southeastern Conference. Clemson will try to win its fourth straight bowl game against the Wildcats.
Insight Bowl Game
Texas Tech vs. Minnesota
Also on December 29 th , the Big 12 will face off against the Big 10 in Tempe, Arizona when Texas Tech (7-5) meets Minnesota (6-6). Each team will try to make it a good finish to 2006 after mediocre seasons, when each team had much higher expectations. With the offenses each team has, one has to think this will be a wild offensive shootout.
The Red Raiders finished the season losing four of their final seven, but they were able to reach their seventh straight bowl appearance under Mike Leach, and 30 th overall in school history. But after a Cotton Bowl appearance last season, many feel this year as a step backwards.
The Texas Tech offense is not to blame, as the passing game and averaged 363.2 yards per game. QB Graham Harrell was able to throw 36 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions in Leach's wild spread offense. It was the defense that caused some problems for the Red Raiders, especially after losing the Big 12 defensive player of the year in 2005, Dwayne Slay.
A win for Texas Tech would be big, because after all they have a sophomore quarterback that is still learning the ropes under Leach. One of Harrell's favorite targets is wide receiver Joe Filani- a team captain- who led the Big 12 this season with 1,138 yards and 12 touchdown receptions.
Minnesota meanwhile had to deal with quite the up and down season. The Gophers lost five of their first seven games, and then rebounded to win four of their last five after an awful 44-0 loss at the hands of No. 1 Ohio State. It will be the fifth straight bowl appearance for Minnesota, which is a school record. The Gophers will also be trying to avoid its first losing season since the 2001 campaign.
Just like Texas Tech, the Gophers have struggled at times defensively- especially in the passing game. The defense is giving up 253.5 yards through the air on average- the seventh worst mark in the nation. That's not good news when they will be going up against one of the best passing games in the country.
Offensively Minnesota has been solid, as senior QB Bryan Cupito will wrap up his collegiate career after throwing 2,556 yards this year and 19 touchdowns.
Both teams relied heavily on their offenses this season as the Red Raiders averaged 41.9 points in their wins, but just 17.0 in their losses. The Gophers scored 40.7 in their six victories, only 15.2 in six defeats. With those numbers, it may be easy to figure out early on who will come out on top in this matchup ..
Douglas Kroll can be reached at dckroll@hotmail.com
