The Home Stretch

by Mickey Plyler - Radio Host - Tue Oct 23 09:23:40 GMT-04:00 2012

The Home Stretch

Here is an updated look at the final five opponents left on Clemson's schedule.

Wake Forest

Wake Forest enters Thursday night's home game against Clemson with a 4-3 record and a 2-3 mark in the ACC.

The Deacs have beaten Liberty, North Carolina, Army and Virginia and have dropped contests to FSU, Duke and Maryland.

Wake has struggled at times this season and their stats point this out.

Wake is 98th in the country in rushing, averaging 120 yards per game

The Deacs are 95th in the nation in passing offense, averaging 195 yards a game. The offense took a hit against Duke when leading receiver Michael Campanaro broke his hand. The leading receiver has been out since that contest.

Wake Forest is 109th in the country in total offense, averaging just 316 yards a game. The Demon Deacons are 94th in the nation in scoring offense, averaging just 21 points per contest.

On defense their numbers are not much better. They are 85th in the country in rushing defense, allowing 183 yards a game on the ground. All-ACC defensive lineman Nikita Whitlock has also been banged up.

They allow 221 yards a game through the air, which is 53rd in the country. Wake is 73rd in the nation in total defense, allowing 405 yards a game, and 74th in scoring defense, giving up 28 points per game.

Duke

Duke continues to be one of the biggest surprises in the ACC. The Blue Devils are 6-2 overall and 3-1 in conference play.

Duke has defeated FIU, NC Central, Memphis, Wake Forest, Virginia and North Carolina. They have dropped games at Stanford and at Virginia Tech. The Blue Devils are at Florida State this Saturday.

Duke is 93rd in the country in rushing offense, averaging 126 yards a game. The Blue Devils are 22nd in the nation in passing offense, averaging 289 yards per game. Duke is 52nd in the country in total offense, averaging 415 yards a game. They are 33rd in the nation in scoring offense, scoring 35 points per game.

Dukes 58th in the nation against the run, allowing 153 yards per game. They allow 243 yards a game through the air, which is 77th in the nation. Duke's defense ranks 68th in the country in total defense, allowing 396 yards a game, and is 73rd in scoring defense, giving up 27.75 points per contest.

Maryland

Maryland is 4-3 overall and 2-1 in the ACC after losing a heartbreaker at home to NC State this past weekend, when it missed a chip shot field goal as time expired to lose 20-18.

The Terps have wins against William and Mary, Temple, Wake Forest and Virginia. They have dropped games to UConn, West Virginia and NC State.

Maryland plays at Boston College this week and gets Georgia Tech at home before traveling to Clemson.

Maryland has been very solid on defense but awful on offense. Things might get worse on offense since their starting quarterback just went down for the season with an injury.

Maryland is 88th in the country in passing offense, averaging 204 yards a game through the air. The Terps are 114th in the nation in rushing offense, with an average of 90 yards per game. They rank 116th in the country in total offense, with an average of 29 yards a game. Maryland is 97th in the country in scoring offense, averaging 21 points per contest.

The Terps are sixth in the country in rushing defense, giving up just 87 yards a game. They are 29th in the nation in passing defense, allowing 200 yards a game. Maryland is 11th in the nation in total defense, giving up just 288 yards per contest, and 31st in the country in scoring defense, allowing 20 points per outing.

NC State

NC State is 5-2 overall and 2-1 in the ACC. State has beaten UConn, South Alabama, The Citadel, Florida State and Maryland, with their last two wins coming in the last minute of each contest. Their losses are to Tennessee and a heartbreaker at Miami.

State is at North Carolina in a rivalry game this week then hosts Virginia and Wake Forest before coming to Clemson. I believe there's a shot that State is 8-2 when they come to Clemson.

NC State is 89th in the country rushing the football, averaging 130 yards a game. State is 29th in the land in passing with an average of 284 yards a game through the air. They are 55th in total offense, averaging 414 yards a game, and 71st in the country in scoring offense, with 26 points per contest.

Against the run, State is 35th in the nation, allowing just 12 yards a game on the ground. They are 100th in country against the pass, giving up 266 yards a game.

State is 66th in the country in total defense, allowing 394 yards a game, but just 28th in the nation in scoring defense, giving up just 20 points per game.

South Carolina

South Carolina was 6-0 and ranked third in the country before dropping its last games at LSU and at Florida. USC's wins have come against Vanderbilt, East Carolina, UAB, Missouri, Kentucky and Georgia.

They have home games with Tennessee, Arkansas and Wofford before coming to Clemson.

South Carolina is 81st in the nation in rushing offense, averaging 144 yards a game on the ground. The Gamecocks are 85th in the country in passing, averaging 210 yards per contest. They rank 95th in the country in total offense with 354 yards a game and 50th in scoring with a mark of 31 points a game.

South Carolina is 14th in the country against the run, giving up just 106 yards a game. They are 15th in the nation in pass defense, allowing just 175 yards per game. The Gamecocks are ninth in the country in total defense with a mark of 282 yards a contest and 15th in scoring offense, allowing only 16 points per game.

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Prayer List

We have started a prayer list on the blog. Here are the guidelines:

If you are offended by prayer or prayer lists then I apologize in advance. The blog is free and the prayer list will be on the bottom of the page so you don’t have to read it.

If you would like to add someone to the list please email me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com

*Please let me know when it is appropriate to take the person off of the prayer list.

Those who need our prayers include:Finn Brookover, Mary-Louise Pawlowski (John's daughter), Jo Ann Bachman, Kenneth Bryant, Pruitt Martin, Got igers and his family, David Rowland, Leonard, Gillespie and his family, Jim S, Daniel Rosborough, The Huffman family, Nancy Winkler, John Reeve, Ethel Southard, Vinnie Brock, Kaitlyn L, Susan Miller, Joyce Harley, Steve Proveaux, Jeffrey Greene, the Hutto family, Sherl Drawdy, Caleb Kennedy, Teresa O'Connor, Matt Jacobs,Perrin Seigler, Candee Massee, Lindsey Jordan, Sam Catoe, Tyler Felch, the Nicolopulos family, "the Jacksonville, FL guys", Kim Sims, the Coyle family, Ryleigh Tedder, Steve Lee, Kelly Trakas, Jimmy Moore, the Thomas. V Family, Emary Claire Young, Kitty Bowers,Julie Locke, the Scheider family, Lauren Kittles' family, Frank Gentry, Joyce Bussey, Stacey McKeown, Dale Childs, Larry Lentz, Jr, Carl Sharperson, Scott Hannon, William Perry, Tyler Swaney, Lillian, Mark Feit, David Frame, Chad Berry, the family of Matthew M. Watson, the Dowis family, Shervin Messer, Alan Putnam, the Olivers, Lee Tate, Ronnie Abrams, Eddie Greene, the Jackson family, Bill Vader, Jim Taylor, Tina DeWitt, Rock Horne, Christopher Tuten, Bobby Wayne Thomas, Emma and Danielle Carothers, Robert Ditty, Mr. and Mrs. Murray Smith, Dot Cartee, Ayden Mills, Millie Heatley, Lynn Martin and family, Michael Pinson, Jake David family, Angie Crowley, Ira, Mike Tolson, Poly Wells, Dr. Muriel Bishop, Jack Cunningham, Emily Jefford Meister, Zachary Stoller, Aaron Clackum, Pat James, Cortney Moore, William Moore, Angelia and Savannah Anderson, William Ross, Meredith Legg, Scott Johns, Frank Carroll, Brandon ThompsonBrandon Thompson
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