Clemson Football: Game-by-Game Predictions for 2012

After last season's Orange Bowl disaster, there is no doubt that Clemson fans are itching to get the 2012 season underway.  

The Tigers have plenty of talent and enough speed to hold their own track meet, but what changes will the coaching shakeup bring to Death Valley?  How will the players adjust to the new offense after losing their coordinator in January?

There are a lot of questions yet to be answered, but there is no reason Clemson football shouldn't be able to pull off a productive season as Dabo Swinney kicks off his fifth season as head coach.  

Let's take a look at each game of the upcoming season.   

Auburn (Sept. 1)

2011 Record: 8-5

Opening up the season in the Georgia Dome on Labor Day weekend against Auburn will be a good chance for Clemson to showcase itself on a national stage.  

Auburn comes in with new coordinators on both sides of the football, and even though it had an impressive showing against Virginia to end last season, it's tough to find your identity under the spotlight in the first game of the year.  

Prediction: Win (1-0)

Ball State (Sept. 8)

2011 Record: 6-6

Ball State was mediocre at best last season.  Even if this team was at its best, that's not good enough to beat the speed and talent of the 2012 Clemson squad.  

After a tough matchup with an SEC opponent, this should be a good chance for the Tigers to regroup and start preparing for conference play.  

Prediction: Win (2-0)

Furman (Sept. 15)

2011 Record: 6-5

It's always good to see the big boys give an in-state FCS team the time of day.  

By playing Furman, Clemson really has nothing to gain, and everything to lose if it is to drop one to the Paladins.  

The Tigers won't lose, however, and will stomp little brother severely as they prepare for FSU the following week.  

Prediction: Win (3-0)

At Florida State (Sept. 22)

2011 Record: 9-4

Florida State has room to improve from last season, even though it managed nine wins and an impressive bowl victory against Notre Dame.

Clemson has everything it needs to take down the Seminoles, but this is almost always a hard-fought game.

If the Tigers lose one early, this will be it.  

Prediction: Loss (3-1)

At Boston College (Sept. 29)

2011 Record: 4-8

Last season, the Boston College Eagles weren't very good.  They started the season 0-3 by losing to Northwestern, Central Florida and Duke and only won three ACC games on the year.  

BC won't be good in 2012 either, and Clemson will have an easy time of it on the road.  

Prediction: Win (4-1)

Georgia Tech (Oct. 6)

2011 Record: 8-5

In what has become one of the most entertaining rivalries in the entire country, the Georgia Tech game has been a struggle for Clemson in recent years.  

With records, talent levels and all reason out the window, this is almost always a close, hard-fought, trench warfare-type matchup.  

The Tigers are due a win in this series, and because it's at home, the Tigers should win a close one.  

Prediction: Win (5-1)

Virginia Tech (Oct. 20)

2011 Record: 11-3

Clemson wasn't the only BCS bowl team out of the ACC last season.  Virginia Tech managed an at-large Sugar Bowl bid and lost a heartbreaker to Michigan in a close one.  

The Hokies shouldn't have much of a drop-off for this next season and will be good enough again to contend for the ACC.  This game could go either way, but advantage: Hokes.  

Prediction: Loss (5-2)

At Wake Forest (Oct. 25)

2011 Record: 6-7

The Demon Deacons always seem to make life tough in the Atlantic Division.  

Last season, Wake Forest gave the Tigers a scare in a close 31-28 contest late in the year, and it should play Clemson tough again in 2012.

Not tough enough to win, though.  

Clemson pulls this one off and moves on up in the Atlantic standings.  

Prediction: Win (6-2)

At Duke (Nov. 3)

2011 Record: 3-9

With David Cutcliffe at the helm, most assumed Duke would be a little better by now, but the Blue Devils are still near the bottom of the heap in the ACC.  

Last season, they only managed to win three games but played a few good teams close.

Even if the Dukies do pick up another win or two in 2012, the Tigers won't be one of their victims.  Clemson rolls in this late-season road game.  

Prediction: Win (7-2)

Maryland (Nov. 10)

2011 Record: 2-10

Last season, under Randy Edsall, Maryland football was an absolute dumpster fire.  

Though the Terps gave Clemson a run for its money, they collapsed late in the game and let the Tigers slide on by. 

Maybe Edsall manages 4-5 wins in 2012, but this won't be one of them.  

Prediction: Win (8-2)

N.C. State (Nov. 17)

2011 Record: 8-5

There's really no reason N.C. State won't be improved this coming season.  The Wolfpack are almost always solid on the defensive side of the ball, which will be important to contend with Clemson's speed, which they were able to do last season.  

This season, the game should be closer, but the advantage lies with Clemson this time around.  

Prediction: Win (9-2)

South Carolina (Nov. 24)

2011 Record: 11-2

The Tigers open and close the 2012 season with games versus SEC opponents.  

South Carolina will return an experienced quarterback in Conner Shaw, and Marcus Lattimore should return from last year's knee injury.  

Though Clemson will be talented enough to win this game, it'll be a tough matchup.  In a virtual toss-up, the benefit of the doubt still goes to the Gamecocks at this point. 

Prediction: Loss (9-3)