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"It's great to be a Tiger." Amen, Dabo. While that statement is true anytime, it is certainly a special time to be a Clemson Tiger. Seeing our guys run down the Hill as the #1 team in the country was something I never thought I'd see. Seeing our guys walk off the field as the #1 team in the country after beating Florida State was a dream come true. However, quoting Dabo, "The best is yet to come." We've clinched the ACC Atlantic, but we have yet to accomplish all that this team is capable of. Our next few games ought to be easy wins, but if we take our foot off the gas or look ahead too quickly, we could ruin what could be a magical season. Let's hope Dabo can keep the "One Game Season" mantra going and keep this team on track with a win against the Cuse.
#1 Clemson at Syracuse
Kickoff at 3:30pm EST
TV: ABC/ESPN2
I'll be camping and flyfishing in the north Georgia mountains this weekend, but if I were going to be around a TV, here are the games I'd want to check in on:
#11 Florida at South Carolina
Kickoff at 12:00pm EST
TV: ESPN
A lot of people here at STS are calling for the upset here. In a strange, nation-wide trend, USuCk has played with some heart after losing their head coach midseason. I'm still not convinced that they're very good, but they are playing at or maybe even above their potential. Florida has been tough to get a read on this season. They've looked pretty good at times, like when they gave LSU all they could handle, and they've looked pretty weak at times, like when they needed a late score to get past Vanderbilt. The ceiling is higher for Florida than it is for USCjr. I think the talent difference will show. UF 34 - USCe 17
#2 Alabama at #17 Mississippi State
Kickoff at 3:30pm EST
TV: CBS
The big SEC matchup this week is not as intriguing to me as some are making it out to be. Some commentators are trying to convince us that Miss St is actually a threat to Bama. I just don't see it. Bama is on an extremely short list of teams that really scare me. Miss St, on the other hand, is doing their usual yo-yo act of going in and out of the bottom of the rankings without doing much of anything. The best thing on their resume is a close loss to LSU. Bama, on the other hand, would probably be favored against the entire NFC East. Bama 41 - MSSt 13
Miami at #23 North Carolina
Kickoff at 3:30pm EST
TV: ESPNU
Like USC and the other, lesser USC, the Miami football team has shown a little life now that they've gotten rid of their head coach. Granted, a close win over UVA is nothing to brag about, nor is having the refs gift wrap you a win over Duke on a crazy, 8-lateral, last second kickoff return. That being said, they are 2-0 since we embarrassed them in front of their home "crowd." After an inexplicable loss to the other USC in the opening week, the Tar Heels have been rolling. Last week, Marquise Williams threw an 89 yard TD pass to Ryan Switzer on their first offensive play. Williams had 404 yards passing... at halftime! They control their own destiny in the Coastal, and unless they really come apart, we'll see them in Charlotte. UNC 48 - Mia 20
#12 Oklahoma at #6 Baylor
Kickoff at 8:00pm EST
TV: ABC
There is plenty to complain about in regards to the Big "12." The fact that their conference name doesn't actually represent the number of teams in the conference is the most ridiculous thing about the conference to me, but not by much. The collective non-conference schedules of their top teams is a close second. The "defense" played in the conference isn't far behind. You get the point. One thing the Big "12" nailed, though, is how to make up for a conference championship game by scheduling a round robin tournament during the last month of the season. It may end up backfiring, if these teams keep knocking one another off, but it's a lot of fun to watch. Baylor's freshman QB looked okay last week, but he's no Seth Russell. With Russell, Baylor really scared me. Now, they look very beatable. Oklahoma has one of the ugliest losses of the first half of the season. Since then, though, they've absolutely throttled everyone they've played. Oklahoma may be getting hot at the perfect time. Baylor fans will have to wonder what could have been. OK 55 - Baylor 30
ESPNU
Louisiana-Lafayette
ESPN
Virginia Tech
Georgia Tech
ESPN2
USC
Colorado
ESPNN
Pittsburgh
Duke
CBS
Georgia
Auburn
(11) Florida
South Carolina
SECN
Tennessee
CBSS
Texas
West Virginia
ABC
(3) Ohio State
Illinois
FS1
Kansas
(15) TCU
Maryland
(13) Michigan State
BTN
Purdue
(18) Northwestern
ASN
ESPN3
Akron
FSN
UTEP
Utah State
NC State
(16) Florida State
Virginia
Louisville
FCS
PAC12
Washington
Arizona State
Miami (FL)
(23) North Carolina
NBC
Wake Forest
(4) Notre Dame
ABC/ESPN2
(1) Clemson
Syracuse
(2) Alabama
(17) Mississippi State
(8) Oklahoma State
Iowa State
Nebraska
Rutgers
Kansas State
Texas Tech
(14) Michigan
Indiana
Kentucky
Vanderbilt
Western Carolina
Texas A&M
Arkansas
(9) LSU
FOX
Oregon
(7) Stanford
BYU
Missouri
Cincinnati
(12) Oklahoma
(6) Baylor
Minnesota
(5) Iowa
(10) Utah
Arizona
Boise State
Oregon State
Cal
Washington State
(19) UCLA