CAN A CAT WIN A DAWG FIGHT? CAN A DAWG WIN A CAT FIGHT?

We're getting ever so closer to the big opening weekend of college football and the huge Clemson-Georgia showdown in Death Valley.  It's so close I'm already picking up whiffs of bourbon and coke, a favorite libation of Dawg and Tiger fans alike (although the ladies prefer Burnett's Vodka with Crystal Light. It's less calories, so I've heard).

To set the stage for the big game between Saint Mark and Dapper Dabo, we've invited two guest experts to provide their perspective on the matchup.

Evan versus Megan: battle of experts

Meet the Experts  

Megan is a proud graduate of that great academic institution in Athens also known as the University of Georgia. She spent most of her time working in the UGA athletic office and thus knows Coach Richt's secrets to success.

While not officially connected with Clemson, Evan is a Georgia Tech grad which pretty much qualifies him to comment with authority on any topic ranging from horseshoes to nano technology and ACC football. Plus his boss is a Clemson alum so this is pretty much a job security kind of thing. Get the picture?

Anyway, we asked our experts to share what they believe are the Five Top Things to Look For, which means we really have Ten Things to Look For.  In any case, read on and enjoy.

Five things to look for if Clemson is going to Win. (expert: Evan)

Evan with the legendary Danny Ford

• The Tiger front 7 - UGA will come out trying to grind it out with their rushing attack which features All-SEC running back Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall. That combo can be lethal, and would allow the Dawgs to rule the clock and set-up the play-action, both staples of the Mike Bobo offense. If the Tigers are going to win this one, they'll need to at least slow down the Dawgs on the ground. Clemson finished 8th in the conference last year in rushing yards allowed, but return six players out of their entire starting front seven.
 
• Sammy Watkins - Clemson's star receiver had a tough go of it last season, dealing with suspension and injury. He has reportedly had a strong preseason so far and ready to prove that his sophomore slump was only just that. Watkins will have that chance in Week 1 when he squares up against a Georgia defense that features many new faces and only one returning starter in the secondary. To make matters worse for the Dawgs, several defensive backs have been plagued with injuries in the preseason and have hindered their preparation for their opener. The Boyd-Watkins connection could be lethal firepower for the Tigers.

• Emotion - I don't think I'm the only one to say the Clemson surprised everyone last year by not falling flat on their faces in a "sure win" game last year. There's a reason why it's called "Clemsoning"(inexplicably disappointing performance. Or, flopping big time on national TV). Dabo's teams have had a history of letting emotion get the better of them, and make no mistake, this game will be emotional. Season opener. Sell out in Death Valley. ACC reputation on the line. For better or worse, both of these teams will run out of their respective tunnels and ready to knock heads. In the Tigers case, hopefully that translates to a big night for Tajh & Co.

• The second half - The Tiger's took 4- and 7-point leads into the locker room at halftime in two of their biggest games last season, but ended up losing both (27-17 vs South Carolina, 49-37 vs Florida State). Opening up 2013 with the Game of the Week will be very telling for Tiger fans and whether or not their team can play for the full 60 minutes. Swinney hopefully will have a strong halftime speech orchestrated to keep his guys focused, or he may as well get a jump on traffic and head home early.

• This Guy:

 




 




Evan's Prediction:  Clemson 41 - Georgia 35

Five things to look for if Georgia is going to Win (expert: Megan)

Megan with Todd Gurley

• New Year. New Team. One Dream. Georgia is coming off of a heartbreaking loss to Alabama in the SEC championship game. The Bulldogs “one dream” is to end the season in Pasadena playing for the BCS National Championship. Can Georgia make it through a tough month of September and brutal opening game against top-ten opponent Clemson? Emotion will be critical.


• After losing 12 starters from the defense, there's no hiding behind big names this season. The Dawgs young defense has to come out big against Clemson’s senior quarterback Tajh Boyd and sophomore receiver Sammy Watkins. Be on the lookout for outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins who is filling the shoes of Jarvis Jones and could be one of the top playmakers on defense. Can the young talent override the inexperience and come out on top? 


• Georgia needs to control the tempo of the game. Clemson averages 84 offensive plays per game, and this season they want to push that number to 90. That's a lot. Georgia needs to keep Boyd on the bench as long as possible and pound the rock with the big boys on the offense. Star running backs Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall will be key in pacing the Georgia offense and sustaining long drives. Against Alabama Gurley led with 122 yards rushing, finishing his freshman campaign with 1,385 rushing yards. 


• Aaron Murray is coming into his senior season as one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the league. Recently named 1st Team Preseason All-SEC quarterback, his performance in the opening game will set the tone for the rest of the season. Murray was 18 of 33 for 265 yards along with one touchdown and one interception against Alabama in the SEC Championship. 

• ESPN College Gameday Curse: Since 2008, Georgia has yet to win when the ESPN College Gameday and crew show up. Will Georgia face the same fate against Clemson? With more than 200,000 people expected to showup in Clemson, Georgia needs to bring the “w” home.

Megan's Prediction:  Georgia 35 - Clemson 32

Be sure to check back tomorrow for our winning weekend picks and George the Cat's Big Pick of The Week video.

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