From the "Experience is the best teacher" department...

Growing up in West Virginia and living in a number of different states, I had

always heard about college football being a religion in the South. But it

wasn't until moving to the Upstate in early 1999 that I experienced first hand

how zealous the followers of the sport can be.

So I've learned to adjust, although I still find it difficult to discuss

nothing but college football in the middle of baseball season.

Anyway, one way I've compromised on my talk show is getting together with my

once a week ratings drag, Cobb Oxford, and providing late June predictions for

Clemson's football team. This past year was the third time we've done it

(along with picking South Carolina and Georgia), and so far we've lived to see

the scorn and ridicule.

With Tommy Bowden's annual media golf outing just six days away, now seems as

good a time as any to share those picks in writing - a mid-July follow-up, if

you will.

Please, hold your rotten egg and tomato tossing until the very end.

Game One

Wake Forest at Clemson

Staying home ill during last season's game at Winston-Salem, I was one of the

few people in the area who got sick due to something other than the Tigers'

45-17 loss to the Demon Deacons. It was so bad that one of my media buddies

called to check on me at halftime and informed me - with no small measure

of disdain - that Clemson might have a new coach before the game ended.

Of course we all know what happened after that. Bowden rallied the troops and

put together the best four-game stretch of his career. Best, at the very

least, because it was the most important.

I believe the ACC scheduling department did Clemson a favor by putting Wake

Forest first on the 2004 schedule. There's no chance the game will be lost in

the shuffle of other, higher-profile games surrounding it had it been a

midseason contest. No, Bowden and his team have had this one circled in red

since spring practice.

Clemson wins big, if for no other reason than because it must. Given the early

season buildup for this team, there can be no slow start.

Clemson 38, Wake Forest 13

Game Two

Georgia Tech at Clemson

Chan Gailey's team will be hoping to avenge last season's embarrassment in

Atlanta. Not this year.

Clemson 34, Georgia Tech 17

Game Three

Clemson at Texas A&M

Tiger fans have been looking forward to this one for a long time. The Aggies

play in one of the great atmosphere's in all of college football, and Dennis

Franchione is destined to turn around the struggling program.

Tough one, but Clemson sneaks by in a game in which both teams earn a measure

of respect.

Clemson 24, Texas A&M 21

Game Four

Clemson at Florida State

Still smarting from last season's first Bowden Bowl loss, the Seminoles will

also be trying to repair arrows broken by yet another loss to Miami, this one

in the 2004 season opener.

The Tigers stumble for the first time in 2004 to a suddenly inspired FSU team.

C'mon, you don't think scheduling the unveiling of Bobby Bowden's statue the

day before this game was an accident, do you?

FSU 27, Clemson 21

Game Five

Clemson at Virginia

I take one from Bowden's bunch in Tallahassee, so how about giving back one in

Charlottesville?

Clemson ends the 0-for-Thursday night skid as the conference, and the country,

begin to discover that Virginia is vastly overrated.

Clemson 28, Virginia 10

Game Six

Utah State at Clemson

It's Homecoming. No TV, which is probably a good thing for the visitors

Is there a doctor in the house?

Clemson 55, Utah State 13

Game Seven

Maryland at Clemson

I can't, in good conscience, pick Clemson to beat Ralph Friedgen until it has

already done so once before. The guy can coach, and he's had the Tigers'

number since he was the offensive coordinator at Georgia Tech.

Close, but not quite.

Maryland 27, Clemson 21

Game Eight

N.C. State at Clemson

How good will the Wolfpack offense be without Philip Rivers? How much better

will the defense be than a year ago?

Answers: Not good enough, not much better.

Clemson 24, N.C. State 14

Game Nine

Clemson at Miami

Here we go out on the industrial-strength limb again.

The Tigers punk the Hurricanes in Little Havana.

Clemson 31, Miami 21

Game 10

Clemson at Duke

Ted Roof is a good coach. Duke has a $22 million football facility. Visiting

teams sometimes have trouble playing at Wallace Wade because of the lack of

atmosphere.

None of that is enough for a Blue Devil upset. It ain't pretty, but it is a

win.

Clemson 34, Duke 13

Game 11

South Carolina at Clemson

Is this Lou Holtz's last game at USC? Or is it the game that puts a stamp on

the return to the postseason for the Gamecocks?

Holtz's crew might make a bowl game, but they'd better qualify before visiting

Death Valley.

Clemson 37, USC 20

Add it up and that's 9-2 overall, 6-2 in the ACC.

The floor is now open for rebuttal.

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