Becky Scott: Clemson-USC Prediction

by Dan Scott - Correspondent - Sat Nov 19 10:24:05 GMT-04:00 2005

Well, the kid is 2-0.

My youngest daughter, Rebekah, nailed the Clemson win over Florida State last week to stay perfect in her young prognosticating career. Now, wherever she goes, she reminds people that she picks games better than her old man.

Even the folks here on TigerNet have started asking about her next pick, which of course is the biggest of her tenure. All the pressure, all the intensity, all the drama. Does any of it affect her?

Not a chance.

In fact, she not only acts oblivious to it all. She really is. While she enjoys picking on me and prancing around from time to time, the reality of the whole thing is she thinks about it long enough for a score to pop into her head, offers up a few off-the-cuff reasons, then goes on about the business of being 10 years old.

She loves the attention, yes, but somehow understands that it's all in good fun. After all, to her Saturday's Clemson-South Carolina game in Columbia is only a game.

When was the last time any of us could say that?

Anyway, I hesitated to turn this one over to Becky. While I have struggled mightily over the past couple of seasons (doesn't anyone remember my 16-4 run over 2002-2003?), this is one game I've nailed.

In six attempts I'm 5-1 predicting the winner of this particular game, easily my best percentage against any opponent in the same time span save for Duke (also 5-1). The Duke pick hasn't been rocket science, and neither has the USC game. The strategy is just to pick Clemson and see what happens.

Fortuately, the Tigers have been equal to the task in those games. But will the same hold true this weekend?

There is, after all, a new sheriff in Columbia. Spurrier Mania has gripped the Gamecock nation, and rightly so. USC has performed far above expectations this season, and Spurrier has to get much of the credit.

Beating Tennessee for the first time in Knoxville. Beating Florida for the first time since 1939. All great moves. All that remains is to beat Clemson and he will have swept the Orange Crush that normally plagues the Gamecocks.

But as Lee Corso would say (I can't believe I'm quoting Lee Corso), "Not so fast, my friend."

I don't like the matchups at a number of positions in this one. I don't like the fact that USC has struggled against the run. And I don't like the fact that they've won games lately despite losing - sometimes badly - on the stat sheet.

That has to end sometime, and my guess is it happens Saturday.

I say Clemson by 14, if anyone cares.

But the pick you've all been waiting on:

Becky takes the Tigers by 22.

THE PICK

Becky sez Clemson 43, USC 21