The Clemson Tigers have as expected unleashed their running game with their 'Ghost and Darkness' combo of Harper and Spiller. No surprises there. And much like those Tsavo maneaters, Spiller and Harper have attacked the Kentucky defense and hurt them with huge chunks of yards. QB Kyle Parker and WR Jacoby Ford have also hooked up for a TD.
Kentucky has moved the ball on Clemson (153 total yards) and has the decided edge in time of possession: 20 min to 10 min for Clemson. Their young QB Morgan Newton missed a wide open WR down the field but has played solidly otherwise. Morgan got the redshirt taken off of him after Mike Hartline, their starting QB jot injured midway thru the season. Mike is the brother of Brian Hartline, the excellent WR for the Buckeyes.
The game has been fun quite like the 'honky tonk' bars found everywhere in the Music City and Matt Millen has called it well. Save for narrating the Capital One Bowl commercial (Old Man Sutter) for the viewers. Matt Millen and Sean McDonough - in case u didn't realize, we get bombarded with commercials enuf as it is. We could do without re-enactments.
The second half should be more of the same as both teams have consciously kept good balance between run and pass. If any questions existed about Clemson being unmotivated for the bowl game after getting relegated to play here by the Gator Bowl (to make room for the Noles and Bowden against his old team, West Virginia) - no worries. Dabo Swinney their headcoach has them ready to play.
