CLEMSON TIGERS O:8 D:7

After getting snubbed by the bowl committee back in ’04 with a 6-5 mark, the Tigers made it a point to reach the bowl eligibility number and leapfrog it. They finished the regular season with seven wins overall, and got their eighth in the Champs Sports Bowl where they defeated Colorado by a 19-10 mark. Clemson closed last season by winning four consecutive games, and six of its last seven. Their four losses were by a combined 14 points, and Head Coach Tommy Bowden’s regime could be in store for their best season yet. The Tigers return 15 starters from last year successful team, and they appear as poised as ever to challenge for their first-ever BCS berth. The offense loses QB Charlie Whitehurst, but new QB Will Proctor is more of the prototypical type QB that Offensive Coordinator Rob Spence likes running his offense. He has the speed to burn defenses with his legs if he can’t find anything downfield that will allow the Tigers to move the chains more and score more TDs this season. His O-Line returns completely intact and is one of the best in the ACC. RB James Davis saw his quest for a 1000-yard season cut short last season when he suffered an injury, but he should become the first 1000-yard Clemson back since 2001 provided he stays healthy. All of last year’s top pass catchers are also back, which gives Clemson an excellent shot of topping the 27 PPG they averaged last year even with the loss of Whitehurst. The defense struggled early last season but made a dramatic turnaround in the final seven games only allowing 14 or more points twice. Barring injuries, there shouldn't be a big drop-off this year as this is a very fine compliment to their solid offense. Special teams look exactly that. All of the key players are back, and they add some new talent to the mix that should have this unit back on track in ’06.

Clemson is the most experienced team in the ACC. They have solid coaching and the talent on hand to seriously make a run at their first ever BCS Bowl invite. If they’re able to feed off the momentum they closed with last season, watch out! The schedule is brutal with road trips to Florida State, BC, and VTECH but they beat three top 20 teams for the first time since 1989 last season. A split of their first two road games will have them set up very nicely for the season many are prognosticating.