2010 Clemson Tigers Preview Odds

Clemson Tigers

9-5, 9-5 ATS, 1st Place in ACC Atlantic

Odds to Win 2010 BCS Championship: +7000
Odds to Win ACC 6/1
at Bookmaker Sportsbook

The Clemson Tigers are coming off a 9-5 season, with four of the five losses coming by a combined 15 points. Now, after an appearance in the ACC Championship Game, the Tigers enter an offseason full of unknowns.

Offensive Outlook: Last year, sophomore Kyle Parker led the 88th ranked passing offense in the nation. Parker completed 55.6% of his passes, racking up 2,526 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He might not return, though, because he has been drafted by the Colorado Rockies. In preparation for his possible departure, freshman Tahj Boyd and senior Mike Wade are being groomed to take over. Next is the issue of who replaces the great CJ Spiller. Spiller threw for a touchdown, ran for 12, and caught four more, amassing 2,487 all-purpose yards last year. He averaged 5.6 yards per carry and 32.8 yards per kickoff return. Running backs Andre Ellington and Jamie Harper, both juniors, will be next in line to lead the ground attack. Both scored four times, while Ellington averaged 7.2 yards on 68 carries. The receiving corps also takes a huge hit, with the losses of Jacoby Ford, and tight end Michael Palmer. The two combined for 1,286 yards and ten touchdowns. It will now be up to senior Xavier Dye and Brandon Ford to carry the load, though neither had great experience last year.

Defensive Outlook: The Tiger defense was a successful one in 2009, allowing just 162.8 passing yards and 20.4 points per game, ranking them at 7th and 25th in the nation respectively. Safety DeAndre McDaniel has foregone the NFL Draft and will play his senior season with the Tigers. McDaniel was a star on the national stage, making eight INTs. The rest of the defense appears poised to do great things, as there will be virtually no freshmen or sophomores.

The Final Word: It is hard to figure out just what the 2010 Clemson squad will do. If you assume Parker returns, there is hope that he can lead a young group of receivers, while a group of experienced defenders stops opponents in their tracks. However, without Parker, the offense may fall into a slump, putting additional pressure on the defense. Regardless, Clemson may fall into the middle of the ACC pack.

2010 Clemson Tigers Prediction: 7-5, 4th place in ACC Atlantic

2010 Clemson Tigers Schedule
9/4 @ North Texas
9/11 Presbyterian
9/18 @ Auburn
10/2 Miami
10/9 @ North Carolina
10/16 Maryland
10/23 Georgia Tech
10/30 @ Boston College
11/6 North Carolina State
11/13 @ Florida State
11/20 @ Wake Forest
11/27 South Carolina