Gator Bowl: Special Teams, Offense Dig The Tiger's Grave

It has been said since the thrashing Clemson received during the very first game of the year by Alabama: this season is not going the way it should. 

True to form was the Gator Bowl. 

Clemson started out the game as strong as could be on defense, holding a potent Nebraska offense to just a couple first downs through the first quarter and a half. This statement rang true when the defense swatted an option pitch down and returned it for a touchdown. 

It also rang true when the Tiger's forced a fumble late in the game and returned it for a touchdown to take the lead.

Sadly, this stunning play was called back because the officials forgot the number one rule in reviewing a play: there must be indisputable video evidence to overturn a call on the field. 

But let's back up a bit.  This lack of officiating would not have been as big of a game-changer had the Tigers converted a short field goal earlier in the game and not had a punt blocked towards the end of the game. 

A simple field goal conversion would have given the Tigers an all but certain victory at the end of the game. 

Instead of the score being 26-21 in the Tiger's final drive, necessitating a touchdown, the score would have been 26-24. So when the Tigers reached the redzone with little time left, the game would have essentially been over. 

A few simple runs would have caused the Cornhuskers, who played an outstanding football game, to use all of their timeouts to conserve time. If a touchdown was not the result of the drive, but only a field goal, the Big Red of Nebraska would have probably gotten the ball back with about 1:30-2:00 left in the game, with no timeouts, down 27-26. 

Granted, their offense is built to go vertical down the field and cover a lot of ground in very little time. And in college football, any first down results in a stopped clock, giving Joe Ganz and his offense that much more time to drive to to take the lead. 

The world of what-could-have-been is a cold and dark place when simple execution during the game could have made it a lovely day in sunny Florida on New Year's Day. 

A missed assignment on a field goal attempt, a complete lack of effort on a punt, and a complete lack of a quarterback who will move his feet when pressured all caused the Tigers to continue their postseason skid. 

Of course, the punt block was also caused by a punter who consistently takes entirely too long to get a punt off. 

Of course the immobile quarterback was not helped by a line who is at the end of their rookie season. 

Luckily, next season will see a new quarterback, new punter, and an entire team who will have grown up by leaps and bounds over the course of this funky season. 

Dabo Swinney proved he can prepare his team from week to week.

I have full confidence he will prepare his team well during a long offseason heading into what I believe will be a promising 2009.