Palmetto Sports Week Six Preview (#3 Clemson @Boston College, Georgia @South Carolina)

While the hype of week five games didn't disappoint us. Week six brings us a whole new slate of big games this week. We have several top 25 matchups along with some rivalry games this week, which includes the Red River Showdown between Oklahoma and Texas. Our instate teams have pretty big matchups as well this weekend. Clemson travels to Boston College to face them this Friday night. While the Georgia Bulldogs travel to Columbia, South Carolina to face the Gamecocks. 

Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports

#3 Clemson at Boston College on Friday at 7:30pm on ESPN

The Clemson Tigers pulled off a big win last Saturday over Louisville in the final seconds of the game. In a game that either team could have won. It will probably go down as the game of the year. But now the Tigers must turn their focus to a Boston College team that has always given the Clemson Tigers problems. This year may be no different. 

The Clemson offense looks to finally be getting in sync. The looked pretty good through the air and on the ground Saturday versus a pretty good Louisville defense. I believe with Heisman hopes about out the window Deshaun can focus on just leading his team to victory every game, which may make him perform better. Watson took a little bit of a beating on Saturday as he had a bunch of designed runs and was hit a few times in the backfield. This week versus Boston College they need to try to keep as many grass stains as possible off his white jersey as Boston College has a pretty dang good defensive front. Harold Landry has been the best pass rusher this year on the Boston College defense. Landry has 7.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks so far this season. The Clemson offensive line will have to come up with something to prepare to stop him Friday night. Clemson continues to use many different weapons in the passing attack. It is crazy to see how much talent they have at Wide Receiver. Eight different Tigers have caught touchdown passes for the Tigers this year. Wayne Gallman had a pretty good game versus Lousiville on Saturday. He hasn't got off to the best of starts in the 2016 season. However, he was hit the holes and lay the wood first in his runs on Saturday. For Clemson to have success on offense they need big games from Gallman. Boston College is only allowing 78 rushing yards per game on defense. They are only allowing 202 total yards of offense per game this season. 

Patrick Towles is the starting Quarterback for the Eagles. Towles transferred from Kentucky in the middle of last season. He can do a little bit of everything at Quarterback for the Eagles. He is a very big Quarterback at 6,5" and 255 pounds and can be tough for a defense to bring down. However, with a fierce Clemson defensive line. I got a feeling Mr. Towles may be in for a very long night. Clemson ranks 7th in the country is total sacks. It really doesn't seem to matter who the Tigers face. That they are going to end up in the backfield ready to make a sack or tackle for loss. Clemson's defensive line unit is a lot like their wide receiver unit. They can rotate anyone in and they produce just as well as the starter. Boston College college doesn't have many talent skill players. However, keep an eye out for Jeff Smith. A former QB for the Eagles who can do just about anything on the offensive side of the ball. His primary position right now is a wide receiver, but you will see him some in the wildcat.

This could be considered a trap game. A Friday night road game at Boston College and coming off a big win over Louisville could usually spell upset for a Clemson Tiger team. However, this is not the same Clemson Tiger team that use to be known for the term Clemsoning. Dabo has built a powerhouse and the nation has taken notice. I believe Clemson comes in and makes a statement that they are poised for another playoff run. 

Score Prediction: Clemson over Boston College (38-20)

Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia at South Carolina on Saturday at 7:30pm on the SEC Network

This game currently has a lot of uncertainties with hurricane Matthew making his way towards the South Carolina coast. We don't know if the game time will be moved to another day or if the game will be moved to  Athens, Georgia. Last year the Gamecocks had to move one of their home games to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to face the LSU Tigers due to flooding caused by a Hurricane last year. Gamecock and Georgia university officials are keeping their eye on the storm and we should know something before Thursday about the game. But let's get away at that a focus on this SEC rivalry game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the South Carolina Gamecocks.

The last time the Bulldogs visited South Carolina, the Bulldogs literally lost the game by an inch. The last time the Bulldogs won in Columbia, South Carolina was 2008. These two teams are in a new era. They have new first-year coaches as Kirby Smart took over the Head Coach position at Georgia after they let Mark Richt go last season. Will Muschamp and Kirby Smart are pretty good friends as they are former teammates and colleagues of each other. This rivalry was already interesting has a pretty good history. But now it is even more interesting with the history between these two coaches. Both teams will field young teams on Saturday. The Bulldogs have a little more experience and are a little bit better when you look on paper and will be around an eight-point favorite on Saturday. But in this matchup, you can never count out the underdog. While Georgia has seemed to of font their Quarterback in true Freshman Jacob Easton. The Gamecocks have a battle that has resurfaced between true freshman Brandon McIlwain and senior Perry Orth. McIlwain had seemed to of won the job after the ECU game. However, after going 9/15 for 34 and 1 interception through three-quarters versus Texas A&M. McIlwain was pulled and Orth came in to finish the last quarter of the game. With the game in reach, Orth provided a little bit if an offensive spark and went 11/18 for 138 yards. The Gamecocks ended up losing 24-13. While uncertain who will start versus the Bulldogs I believe we may see a lot of both on Saturday.  

Georgia should get Nick Chubb back this Saturday which will give them that added boost on Saturday to go along with their very good running back unit, which includes Sony Michel. The Gamecocks have a pretty nice young running back core coming together as well. AJ Turner showed what he could do if the offensive line gives him a hole on Saturday when he took a 75-yard rush to the house on the first play of the game. The Gamecocks also got true freshman Rico Dowdle back from injury, who looked very good on some runs as he made his season debut on Saturday. The running back position is becoming a pretty deep unit for the Gamecocks. Both Georgia and South Carolina are inexperienced at the receiver position. Georgia has Isiah McKenzie who can be a game changer. He is dangerous in the return game and can make a huge play at receiver in the slot position if he isn't accounted for. McKenzie has great speed and agility that gives teams troubles. The Gamecocks get back Bryan Edwards and Deebo Samuels this week who both missed last week's game with a hamstring injury. The return of Edwards and Samuels should help the offense out and give the Georgia defense a little trouble trying to cover the field. Tight end Hayden Hurst is the team's leading receiver and has been the go-to target in 3rd down situations. His size and ability to stretch the field is something the Gamecocks need to continue utilizing when they face Georgia and going forward. 

The Gamecocks defense has continued to improve with each game. They will need to have another big game on Saturday versus the Bulldogs for the team to have a chance. They need to be sure to tackle well and not allow the Georgia running backs get into the second level of the defense. They also need to make sure they put pressure on true freshman quarterback Jacob Easton. Darius English has been playing lights out for the Gamecocks. He leads the team with five sacks and has just been making plays all over the field for the Gamecocks this season. The Bulldogs have one of the best defenses in the SEC. They have a few playmakers in every unit. Lorenzo Carter is probably the best player on the defense and can give the defense fits with his pass rush ability, along with his ability to drop back and cover tight ends and some receivers. Carter is a future first-round pick in the NFL. The Georgia defense is only allowing 377 yards per game. The Gamecocks are allowing 408 yards per game on defense. The Gamecock defense defiantly has the tougher task on Saturday with stopping the Georgia offensive run game. But weirder things have happened in the rivalry game so I'm not going to count out the Gamecocks offense having a good day versus the Bulldogs defense.

I believe we are going to be in for an awesome game on Saturday night between these two non-ranked SEC East teams. The Bulldogs will enter a very loud Williams-Brice Stadium that can make life hard on any offense on any given day. I believe that both of these defenses have pretty good days. And that the offenses make a few plays. However, I love this game and I always feel like the home team in this game always has the advantage no matter who is the better team. I believe we are in for a low scoring. That the team who commits the fewest mistakes wins. Elliott Fry better be ready for the Gamecocks. They are going to need him to kick better this Saturday. 

Score Prediction: South Carolina over Georgia (17-14)