Orange Bowl 2012: Bold Predictions for West Virginia vs. Clemson

I've always thought the Sugar Bowl and Orange Bowls get placed in weird time slots.

They don't occur with the rest of the New Year's Day (or in this year's case, Jan. 2) bowls, but they aren't pushed a week back like the BCS National Championship Game.

As a result, I think lots of people somewhat forget about them, but that shouldn't be the case this year, especially with the Orange Bowl.

West Virginia and Clemson are two extremely explosive teams and this will be a fun one to watch. Here's a look at three bold predictions for tonight's game.

Geno Smith Will Throw For 400 Yards

West Virginia absolutely loves to throw the ball. On average, they put the ball in the air for over 58 percent of their plays, which ranks them 12th in the country. 

On the other side of the ball, Clemson has had trouble stopping the pass. They play in a fairly weak ACC conference, but they are giving up just under 7.0 yards per pass attempt. The Tigers will have trouble slowing down Smith.

Smith has been fairly dominant this season, throwing for just under 4,000 yards to go along with 25 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. He also has a slew of talented receivers. Don't be surprised if he goes off in this one.

Sammy Watkins Will Have 200 Total Yards

True freshman Watkins has been one of the most explosive players in the NCAA this year, pulling in 79 catches for 1,159 yards and also rushing for another 229.

West Virginia has a good to average defense, but they have been susceptible to big plays at times.

Watkins will pull in 150 yards receiving and add another 50 on the ground as he establishes himself as the best receiver in the nation for next season. 

Andre Ellington Will Declare for the NFL Draft Shortly After

Clemson running back Andre Ellington has had a terrific work-horse type of season, carrying the ball 213 times for 1,062 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Ellington has missed a bunch of time this year, so lots of pundits think he should stay for his senior season, but I think he really improves his stock in this game and ultimately decides to leave.

If he decides to come out, Ellington could be a late-round steal for teams looking for a third-down back who has great speed with kick-return ability and potential.