Clemson vs Oklahoma

[russ1945]

[h=1]Clemson suspends WR Deon Cain, 2 others, reportedly over drug tests[/h]
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  Andrea AdelsonESPN Staff Writer

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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Clemson has sent three players home for violating team rules, including key receiver Deon Cain, a source confirmed to ESPN's Mark Schlabach on Tuesday, two days before the Tigers' College Football Playoff semifinal game.
Cain, who has been the Tigers' biggest deep threat this season, kicker Ammon Lakip and tight end Jay Jay McCullough will not play in the Capital One Orange Bowl against the Oklahoma Sooners on Thursday.
According to multiple reports, they were sent home for failing drug tests.
ESPN Upstate and The Clemson Insider earlier reported the suspensions.

Clemson receiver Deon Cain is a significant loss for the Tigers, considering the way he stepped up when starter Mike Williams went down for the season with a neck injury in the opener. Streeter Lecka/Getty ImagesA Clemson spokesman, when asked by The Clemson Insider to comment, deferred questions to coach Dabo Swinney, who has a news conference scheduled for Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. ET.
Lakip, who served a three-game suspension earlier this season for an offseason arrest for cocaine possession, handled some kickoffs and extra points. McCullough was a backup tight end behind starter Jordan Leggett.
[h=1]EDITOR'S PICKS[/h]

• [h=2]IOU: Sooners using '14 rout by Clemson as fuel[/h]Oklahoma players are using broadcast remarks from last year's 40-6 bowl loss to Clemson as motivation heading into their game against the Tigers in the Orange Bowl.
  
• [h=2]Rittenberg: Are Clemson, Michigan State elite programs?[/h]The Tigers and Spartans have been among the nation's best over the past few years, but there's still one more step to take before they join the ranks of the truly elite like Alabama or Oklahoma.
  
• [h=2]The blue-collar blue-chip life of Clemson QB Deshaun Watson[/h]As a high school star, Deshaun Watson was one of the most sought-after recruits in the country. His coaches and teammates say you'd think he is a walk-on by his work ethic and attitude.

All three are backups, but Cain is a significant loss. A true freshman, he stepped up when starter Mike Williams went down for the season with a neck injury in the opener and ranks second on the team with 582 yards on 34 receptions.
Cain and McCullough also have previously served suspensions.
Cain missed the Miami game earlier this year because of a "coach's decision." McCullough's previous suspension was for team rule violations.

 

[tmader7]

Yup, saw it yesterday on ESPN and in this am's paper. Line, she is a' movin Russ.

~T~

Booooooooooooooooooooooomer........Sooooooooooooooooooooooner!!!

 

[PoppinTags]

Yup, saw it yesterday on ESPN and in this am's paper. Line, she is a' movin Russ.

~T~

Booooooooooooooooooooooomer........Sooooooooooooooooooooooner!!!

Probably will be soon, but as of now, my book moved it off -4 to -3.5, kind of the reverse of what you would think....

 

[russ1945]

Last night Baylor and N. Carolina hooked up. Baylor rushed for 645 yds. Many people tried to discount Oklahoma’s win over Baylor due to injuries. I think now it is apparent that Baylor is very deep and very talented. When OU faced Baylor RB Shock Linwood picked up 103 yds on 21 carries and Baylor as a team rushed for 159 yds. Clemson rushed for 319 yds against N. C. when they played N.C.

Granted Watson had a great game against N.C. but it does not compare to how Baylor looked as a team against N.C. The Big 12 takes a lot of unfounded flack for this or that but I think last night’s game should make those who think Clemson can repeat last year’s performance again O.U. have more than just second thoughts. OU needs to concentrate on containing Watson and if they do that Clemson will have problems. I think last night’s game was an eye opener and should at the very least make some Clemson backers have a reality check. Baylor clearly dominated that game. Had it not been for a bad call on that on side kick in the N.C./Clemson game there may have been a different out come. One thing is for sure Baylor manhandled N.C. physically much more than did Clemson.

 

[tmader7]

Probably will be soon, but as of now, my book moved it off -4 to -3.5, kind of the reverse of what you would think....

You using a local??? All the offshores are moving it up, had been sitting at 3+ now 4 everywhere and I'd expect to see some more movement once they digest the impact of losing Cain. Hell, maybe we should start our own lines.......which way and by how much will the books move lines based on injuries and suspensions, LOL. GL

~T~

 

[tmader7]

Last night Baylor and N. Carolina hooked up. Baylor rushed for 645 yds. Many people tried to discount Oklahoma’s win over Baylor due to injuries. I think now it is apparent that Baylor is very deep and very talented. When OU faced Baylor RB Shock Linwood picked up 103 yds on 21 carries and Baylor as a team rushed for 159 yds. Clemson rushed for 319 yds against N. C. when they played N.C.

Granted Watson had a great game against N.C. but it does not compare to how Baylor looked as a team against N.C. The Big 12 takes a lot of unfounded flack for this or that but I think last night’s game should make those who think Clemson can repeat last year’s performance again O.U. have more than just second thoughts. OU needs to concentrate on containing Watson and if they do that Clemson will have problems. I think last night’s game was an eye opener and should at the very least make some Clemson backers have a reality check. Baylor clearly dominated that game. Had it not been for a bad call on that on side kick in the N.C./Clemson game there may have been a different out come. One thing is for sure Baylor manhandled N.C. physically much more than did Clemson.

I read a couple of articles in the Charlotte Observer this am. Bottom line is that the Baylor O scheme caught UNC totally off-guard and that's their story. They knew Baylor ran the wildcat against Texas in the season finale, but they thought and prepared for them to run their normal O with Johnson at QB given the time Baylor had to prepare. Gotta give props to Briles, he pulled a big one over the Heels.

~T~

 

[russ1945]

I read a couple of articles in the Charlotte Observer this am. Bottom line is that the Baylor O scheme caught UNC totally off-guard and that's their story. They knew Baylor ran the wildcat against Texas in the season finale, but they thought and prepared for them to run their normal O with Johnson at QB given the time Baylor had to prepare. Gotta give props to Briles, he pulled a big one over the Heels.

~T~

Game plan or not there are in game adjustments that have to be made. N.C. simply could not match up physically. It was a good game plan for Baylor but N.C.'s rushing defense ranked #121 out of 127 teams. Pretty obvious.

 

[tmader7]

Game plan or not there are in game adjustments that have to be made. N.C. simply could not match up physically. It was a good game plan for Baylor but N.C.'s rushing defense ranked #121 out of 127 teams. Pretty obvious.

Ya reckon, LOL! Nothing like setting a new bowl record....well, uh, most rushing yards given up, don't think I'd want that one.

~T~

 

[Serbone]

Not many handicappers even mention field surface any more. It does not always matter, but it ABSOLUTELY did for 2 games in particular, so far.

Look at Navy, an artificial turf team, plays a precision cut speed option game. Their timing disrupted against a good team, they got hammered in Houston on natural turf. Back home then SPED BY Pittsburg, a natural turf team. Precision, speed vs power.

Same thing, last night.

Baylor without their 2 best passers had a running QB and is a spread-them-out speed precision artificial turf team and blew by natural turf NC. Sure, Briles out coached NC, I do not understand how TF NC staff could be so ill prepared. Stupid. You could see the first 5 minutes that Baylor would dominate if NC did't adjust.

This does not work for all situations, but Navy and Baylor are built for artificial turf and Pittsburg and NC... NOPE.

 

[jasonc69]

The Clemson suspensions will not affect the outcome of this game.

 

[PoppinTags]

TMADER7 - Am I using local, yes, but his book coincides closely (most often) to Vegas moves. My book is sharp.

 

[bobbyjones2]

The Clemson suspensions will not affect the outcome of this game.

prolly not, but it does force a player into the game whom maybe doesn t get as much time normally..title game last year, an oregon back up wr drops a wide open pass and i just think, what if the starter had laid off the mary ..

 

[tmader7]

TMADER7 - Am I using local, yes, but his book coincides closely (most often) to Vegas moves. My book is sharp.

Here's some of the offshore movement: http://www.covers.com/odds/linehistory.aspx?eventId=51594&sport=NCF

GL and Happy New Year!

~T~

 

[Serbone]

Oklahoma will smoke Clemson.
44-27 or something like that.
ACC is soft this year so far in bowls (Pitt-NC especially but also VT-Duke-Miami). Baylor looked good for the Big 12, though TT, not so hot.
Clemson hasn't seen an offense like this, Mayfield will make their DB's dizzy. Oklahoma will prepare well on D for the gimmicky though talented Clemson offense. A pocket passer is necessary to beat Oklahoma at this point (I know, they lost to goddam Texas).

 

[russ1945]

Oklahoma will smoke Clemson.
44-27 or something like that.
ACC is soft this year so far in bowls (Pitt-NC especially but also VT-Duke-Miami). Baylor looked good for the Big 12, though TT, not so hot.
Clemson hasn't seen an offense like this, Mayfield will make their DB's dizzy. Oklahoma will prepare well on D for the gimmicky though talented Clemson offense. A pocket passer is necessary to beat Oklahoma at this point (I know, they lost to goddam Texas).

Weather can be a factor also but Baylor made a lot of yardage running right up the middle. Serbone makes a good point about the ACC not looking so good so far in bowls. I fully expected LSU to blow out T Tech.

I have said this many times lately but this is the most focused and motivated bowl team I have ever seen OU send to a bowl. That is a very strong factor. Since they held Baylor to 159 yds rushing that has to really fire up the defense. I think it will also inspire their running game. I actually feeel better about this game now than I did earlier on. I layed money on them to win the national championship in the preseason not because I am a homer but because I saw potential and improvement as the season would progress. OU, Baylor, and TCU should all perform well in this year's bowls.

 

[PoppinTags]

The more I see people saying Clemson has no shot, ACC sucks (which may be somewhat true), look at what they've done in these bowl games, the more I like Clemson's chances too. Just the way things seem to work. Should be a good game.

The truth of the matter is, the more bowl games there are, the less motivated these teams become.