Orange Bowl Predictions: Clemson Will Begin Hype for 2012 by Slaying WVU

Clemson has the talent to be in the BCS championship picture in 2012, and the campaign for a favorable preseason ranking starts at the Orange Bowl. The Tigers will return national freshman of the year (per Sporting News) Sammy Watkins along with sophomore quarterback Tajh Boyd.

Both were spectacular this year, and figure to get better and gain even more continuity. The defense will lose some players to graduation and the NFL, like cornerback Coty Sensabaugh and defensive end Andre Branch, but overall the team is young and returning.

The dynamic Tigers will face the West Virginia Mountaineers in the Orange Bowl at 8:30 p.m. ET tonight to close out the current season. Mountaineers QB Geno Smith has passed for more yardage than Boyd (3,978 to 3,578), but he doesn't have nearly as many weapons as the Clemson signal-caller.

Stedman Bailey is Smith's biggest downfield threat, but the Clemson defense, though it has struggled has the athletes to stifle the Mountaineers.

This will be a high scoring game, but when it comes down to key stops, like most shootouts do, the Tigers have the personnel to get it done.

If the Tigers win this game by two touchdowns, they will likely be a top 10 team in the preseason. For a offense so young, preseason placement is a great motivator.

There isn't a more talented QB-RB-WR trio returning to school than Boyd, Watkins and running back Andre Ellington, assuming Ellington doesn't declare as a junior. Together they will one of the best offenses in the nation again next year.

Clemson will win this game, starting the BCS title campaign with a 46-30 victory over the Mountaineers.