Clemson Football: Burning Questions Ahead of the Tigers' Bowl Game

The Clemson Tigers and Oklahoma Sooners are set to square off in the Russell Athletic Bowl on December 29, but there are many questions surrounding the matchup.

A very good Oklahoma offensive line will face one of the best defensive lines in the country, so this game could be won or lost in the trenches.

The ultimate question mark for the Tigers is the offense. Without Deshaun Watson—who will miss the bowl game due to ACL surgery—the unit hasn’t performed well, but the Tigers will likely have to find a way to score points.

This is an Oklahoma offense that averages almost 40 points per game, and recently injured quarterback Trevor Knight will be available for the bowl game.

Let’s take a look at the burning questions ahead of the Tigers’ final game.

Can Wayne Gallman Find Running Room?

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Wayne Gallman has emerged as the consistent back Clemson needs lately, but he will go up against a solid Oklahoma run defense in the bowl game. Gallman has rushed for 100 yards or more in three of Clemson’s last five games, and he went for 191 yards in the regular-season finale.

Oklahoma’s defense ranks 10th in the country against the run, as it gives up only 109.6 yards per game on the ground. It will be tough to find consistent running room—that offensive line has momentum and confidence after the South Carolina game when the Tigers rushed for 225 yards as a team.

Can Cole Stoudt Play Well Enough to Win?

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The senior quarterback will have an opportunity to end his Clemson career on a good note, but the question is: Can he do it? Things haven’t gone his way so far this year, but he faces an Oklahoma secondary that has had its issues this season.

The Sooners will bring the No. 119-ranked pass defense into the Russell Athletic Bowl, and Stoudt has the weapons at receiver to have a big game. Mike Williams and Artavis Scott are both over 800 yards receiving, and Gallman has caught the ball well out of the backfield with 24 catches.

If Not, Can the Defense Win Another Game?

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The defense knows what it takes to win games. The unit had to make goal-line stands against Louisville and Boston College in consecutive weeks, so we know how tough those guys are. The games against Syracuse and Wake Forest would have been toss-ups to win had it not been for the defensive efforts after the Tigers failed to consistently move the ball on offense in those games.

The Sooners average 38.9 points per game, so keeping them from getting their points is going to be a tough task. The Tigers will have to find a way to score points, because Oklahoma has a much better offense than any of those teams listed above.

Can the Front Seven Generate Enough Pressure?

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A lot of the success on defense has come thanks to pressure from the guys up front. The Tigers are fifth nationally with 44 sacks, and they have 122 tackles for loss this season.

There’s one problem, though.

The Sooners have given up a total of only eight sacks all season, which ranks second in the country. The battle up front will be the matchup to watch in this game—and how that turns out is the biggest question in my mind heading into this game.

Can the Tigers Win Without Watson?

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So what have we learned so far? The Oklahoma offense is very good. But the Clemson defense is also very good, so this matchup will be one of the best of the bowl season.

The Clemson offense has looked great at times with Watson in the game, but it just doesn’t look the same without him behind center. Can the Tigers find a way to win with Stoudt at quarterback?

The answer to that question will come down to how well the Tigers are able to run the ball. The Tigers have run the ball well as of late, and success on the ground will obviously take some pressure off Stoudt.

The defense will also have to take care of business, because the offense may not be able to put up a huge number of points. Everything we have seen from Clemson’s defense this season leads us to believe the Tigers can put up a strong defensive effort, though.