Clemson football game-by-game scouting report

2014 Record

6-5 (Fourth in the SoCon)

Coach

Mike Ayers

Key Returners

700-yard rushers/receivers returning: Lorenzo Long (930 rush yards); 80 carries or more: Long (163), Evan Jacks (80; 8 TFL or more: LB Terrance Morris (7.5); 5 PBUs or more: CB Chris Armfield (7), CB Brion Anderson (6); 70% FG rate: David Marvin (83.3).

Pick

Clemson 48, Wofford 16

Analysis

Openers are hard to nail down, but FCS opponents haven’t come within 34 points of Clemson’s production since 2012. Much of that is thanks to the significant talent influx under Dabo Swinney. It’s just not a fair fight, but the number of new starting linemen does give pause for a closer score.

2014 Record

7-5 (Third in the Sun Belt)

Coach

Scott Satterfield

Key Returners

700-yard rushers/receivers returning: RB Marcus Cox (1,415 rushing yards); 40 catches or more: WR Simms McElfresh (42); 80 carries or more: Cox (255), RB Terrence Upshaw (112), QB Taylor Lamb (78); 5 sacks or more: DE Ronald Blair (6); 65 tackles or more: LB John Law (91), DB Doug Middleton (74); 8 TFL or more: Blair (13); 5 PBUs or more: Middleton (6); 70% FG rate: Bentlee Critcher (70).

Pick

Clemson 45, App. State 17

Analysis

App. State lives in infamy of its mega-upset of Michigan in 2007. The interesting byproduct of that is every major conference team knows they’re coming – losing by 33 points per game in every ‘Power Five’ meeting since.

2014 Record

9-4, 5-3 ACC (Third in the Atlantic)

Coach

Bobby Petrino

Key Returners

700-yard rushers/receivers returning: RB Brandon Radcliff (737); 40 catches or more: N/A; 80 carries or more: Radcliff (144); 5 sacks or more: DE Sheldon Rankins (8), LB Keith Kelsey (6); 8 TFL or more: Rankins (13.5), LB James Burgess (10); 70% FG rate: John Wallace (78.9).

Pick

Clemson 31, Louisville 23

Analysis

Petrino said some of his summer prep was on Clemson, which is nothing out of the ordinary, but the ACC opener for each team on Sept. 17 can set the tone for conference action. Louisville held a discombobulated Clemson offense to its second-lowest yards output of last season (229). Until a 73-yard completion to James Quick on the final drive, the Cardinals were held under 200 yards for most of the game, facing a combination of Will Gardner and Reggie Bonnafon at QB. This is a big early test for both teams and the difference is Clemson’s offensive playmakers.

2014 Record

8-5

Coach

Brian Kelly

Key Returners

700-yard rushers/receivers returning: RB Tarean Folston (889 rushing yards), WR Will Fuller (1,094); 40 catches or more: Fuller (76), WR Chris Brown (39); 80 carries or more: Folston (175); 5 sacks or more: N/A; 8 TFL or more: LB Jaylon Smith (9), DT Jarron Jones (7.5), DE Isaac Rochell (7.5), DT Sheldon Day (7.5); 5 PBUs or more: CB Cole Luke (11).

Pick

Clemson 31, Notre Dame 27

Analysis

In road games, the Irish are 3-6 over the last two years and 9-11 in the last five. That’s a key factor because while Notre Dame is projected a higher preseason AP rank – a Clemson team with its fair share of unknowns is given the benefit of the doubt as a home team plus around a half point. It wasn’t pretty at times, but the Tigers were 7-0 at home last season and have won nine in a row since the FSU shellacking in ’13 (51-14).

2014 Record

11-3, 6-2 ACC (First in the Coastal Division)

Coach

Paul Johnson

Key Returners

700-yard rushers/receivers returning: QB Justin Thomas (1,086 rushing yards); 80 carries or more: Thomas (190); 5 sacks or more: DE Keshun Freeman (4.5); 8 TFL or more: Freeman (9.5), LB Paul Davis (8.5); 5 PBUs or more: CB D.J. White (8).

Pick

Georgia Tech 41, Clemson 38

Analysis

Favored in every game, the Tigers have the potential to win them all, but the metrics say that’s fairly unlikely. Watson could wreck the Yellow Jackets’ secondary, but more than likely, this is a shootout and a major test for Clemson defensively.

2014 Record

7-6, 4-4 ACC (Fourth in the Atlantic)

Coach

Steve Addazio

Key Returners

700-yard rushers/receivers returning: RB Jon Hilliman (860); 40 catches or more: N/A; 80 carries or more: Hilliman (211), RB Myles Willis (88); 5 sacks or more: N/A; 8 TFL or more: DE Kevin Kavalec (10.5); 5 PBUs or more: S Justin Simmons (5).

Pick

Clemson 41, BC 17

Analysis

Clemson’s trailed in the fourth quarter of each matchup so far against Addazio’s Eagles, but found that extra gear against the physical opponent. They are 6-2 in their last eight road games under Addazio.

2014 Record

6-7, 3-5 ACC (Sixth in the Coastal)

Coach

Al Golden

Key Returners

2,800-yard passer(s): Brad Kaaya (3,198); 80 carries or more: Joseph Yearby (86); 5 sacks or more: N/A; 5 PBUs or more: CB Artie Burns (6); 70% FG rate: Michael Badgley (77.8).

Pick

Clemson 38, Miami 27

Analysis

You can count on one hand the number of big games Al Golden has won at Miami in five seasons (2-11 v. top-25 teams). Miami is in the top-five of the ACC in terms of talent and has the weapons to pull off the upset. They just don’t have the track record of wins like this.

2014 Record

8-5, 3-5 ACC (Fifth in the Atlantic Division)

Coach

Dave Doeren

Key Returners

700-yard rushers/receivers returning: RB Shadrach Thornton (907); 80 carries or more: Thornton (164), RB Matt Dayes (104), QB Jacoby Brissett (124); 5 sacks or more: DE Mike Rose (5); 8 TFL or more: Rose (14); 5 PBUs or more: CB Jack Tocho (11), S Josh Jones (7), CB Juston Burris (5).

Pick

Clemson 34, N.C. State 20

Analysis

For the Tigers, this game is sandwiched between a trip to Miami and a potential season-defining showdown with Florida State, but that game means less if they stumble on Halloween in Raleigh.

2014 Record

13-1, 8-0 ACC (First in the Atlantic Division)

Coach

Jimbo Fisher

Key Returners

2,800-yard passer(s): Everett Golson (3,445); 700-yard rushers/receivers returning: RB Dalvin Cook (1,008 yards); 40 catches or more: WR Jesus Wilson (42), WR Travis Rudolph (38); 80 carries or more: Cook (170), Golson (114); 8 TFL or more: CB Jalen Ramsey (9.5); 5 PBUs or more: Ramsey (12), S Tyler Hunter (7), S Nate Andrews (5); 70% FG rate: Roberto Aguayo (90).

Pick

Clemson 34, FSU 31

Analysis

Last year, Clemson came close – so close – to knocking off a Jameis Winston-less FSU team. So deep into the season this time around, there’s no telling the shape of either team going into the Nov. 7 matchup. Will Clemson stay healthy on the O-line? D-line? (QB?). After all the success of recent years, will FSU hit a downturn?

2014 Record

3-9, 1-7 ACC (Sixth in the Atlantic)

Coach

Scott Shafer

Key Returners

PBUs or more: DE Ron Thompson (5); 70% FG rate: Cole Murphy (81.3%).

Pick

Clemson 45, Syracuse 17

Analysis

The ‘Cuse lack the firepower to make this a trap game, and they have questions to answer in terms of what direction the program is going (which could come into play this late in the season). No upset alert here.

2014 Record

3-9, 1-7 ACC (Last in the Atlantic)

Coach

Dave Clawson

Key Returners

40 catches or more: TE Cam Serigne (54); 80 carries or more: RB Isaiah Robinson (98), RB Dezmond Wortham (84); 8 TFL or more: LB Marquel Lee (12), DT Josh Banks (7.5), DE Wendell Dunn (7.5); 5 PBUs or more: S Ryan Janvion (6); 70% FG rate: Mike Weaver (78.9).

Pick

Clemson 48, Wake Forest 13

Analysis

Dabo Swinney's group should have plenty to play for going into the rivalry matchup the next week with South Carolina.

2014 Record

7-6, 3-5 SEC

Coach

Steve Spurrier

Key Returners

700-yard rushers/receivers returning: WR Pharoh Cooper (1,136); 40 catches or more: Cooper (69); 80 carries or more: RB Brandon Wilds (106); 5 sacks or more: N/A; 5 PBUs or more: CB Rico McWilliams (5); 70% FG rate: Elliott Fry (72).

Pick

Clemson 34,

South Carolina 27

Analysis

Clemson hitting on key prospects like Deshaun Watson, who accounted for four touchdowns on one good knee, Wayne Gallman, who rushed for the most yards by a Tiger in the series since 1974 (191), and Artavis Scott, who averaged 26.4 yards per catch with two scores – is the difference in Columbia this time around and probably at least another season in the series.

Brandon Rink, Anderson Independent Mail