Earlier this week, I pointed out that Clemson hadn’t played against good offenses. When I looked at the stats, I thought that our offense would tear them up. Credit to Clemson for that first half - they played much better than we did, their defense thwarted everything we tried to do. Second half - too much complexity, too much multiple, too much for Clemson. Not by a lot, mind you, but too much nonetheless.
- Clemson - 21 points off Nebraska mistakes. The prevailing thought was the Big 12 couldn’t play defense - Clemson ended up with FIVE rushing yards. For. The. Game. Clemson’s James "Thunder" Davis and CJ "Lightning" Spiller couldn’t get it going, when Davis needed only 112 yards to become Clemson’s all-time rusher - nothing doing.
- Clemson quarterback Cullen Harper couldn't make good decisions when under pressure. Good news - under pressure most of the game. Bad news - no pressure at the end of the game when they get to the 10 with around 1:00 left. Then Carlfense kicked in, and we get two big sacks in a row. You know anyone named Carl who's a genius? I know at least one.
- What do you do with an ankle? You TWIST it!
- SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH! - Need I say more?
- QUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUE! - And what about the third guy, when everyone wanted Helu. Castille came in, ran hard, made great plays, great cuts, bailed the Husker offense out when we needed it. Best part of all - no fumbles.
- Joe Ganz gets player of the game, a salute to his last game as a Husker. Tough SOB, ain’t he? I thought for sure he was gone after his head hit the turf on that tackle, but back he was.
- GI guy Todd Peterson was a playmaker in his final game after coming to the Huskers as a walk-on. If he weren’t catching TD’s, he was downfield blocking like his momma taught him. What a great final game.
- This game ranks a beer factor 10. It wasn’t that I poured it down, but it probably kept me from having a heart attack during the game. A great game by both teams, thanks to Clemson for aging me 10 years in a single game. I’m now around 324 years old, 173 of them coming in the last two seasons.
- Shot of the day. It wasn’t on the field, it was at the end of the game. Pelini soaked and celebrating, Dabo Swinney with his head down.
- 2009 is going to be a great year. I feel it already! I don’t want the world, I just want to be on top! Happy New Year!!!!!!!