I Don't Know Why Auburn...

[GoHogs1091]

...decided to play Clemson in 2016.  Here is the possible 2016 Clemson starting Offense and starting Defense.

QB:  Deshaun Watson   5 Star  (don't be surprised if he is a top Heisman Trophy candidate)
RB:  Tavien Feaster   5 Star
WR:  Mike Williams   4 Star
WR:  Artavis Scott   4 Star  (probably should have been 5 Star ranked)
WR:  Deon Cain   5 Star
TE:   Garrett Williams   4 Star
LT:   Mitch Hyatt   5 Star
LG:  Justin Falcinelli   4 Star
C:     Jay Guillermo   4 Star  (the #1 ranked Center in the nation when he came out of High School)
RG:  Tyrone Crowder   4 Star
RT:  Jake Fruhmorgen   4 Star

DE:  Shaq Lawson   4 Star  (probably should have been 5 Star ranked)
DT:  Carlos Watson   4 Star  (probably should have  been 5 Star ranked)
DT:  Christian Wilkins   5 Star
DE:  Ebenezer Ogundeko   4 Star  (was the #1 ranked player in the state of New York when he came out of High School)
OLB:  Dorian O'Daniel   4 Star
MLB:  Ben Boulware   4 Star  (probably one of the best tackling MLBs in the nation)
OLB:  Korie Rogers   4 Star
CB:    Mackensie Alexander   5 Star  (the #3 ranked CB in the nation when he came out of High School)
CB:    Cordrea Tankersley  4 Star
S:       Jayron Kearse   4 Star  (6'4" size at the Safety position)
S:       Travis Blanks   4 Star  (the #4 ranked Safety in the nation when he came out of High School)

Summary of the Starters
5 Stars   6
4 Stars   16  (with 3 of those probably should having been 5 Star ranked)

Clemson will be the 2nd most talented team Auburn will face in 2016, a very close 2nd to Alabama.

[jbcarol]

Ole Miss Football @OleMissFB  ·  Feb 19

Ole Miss will play the Pac-12's Cal Bears in 2017 (Berkeley) and 2019 (Oxford). http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/021915aaa.html ...

Cal is the Rebels' first ever Pac-12 opponent, and the 2017 game in Berkeley will be the westernmost game in program history.

[jbcarol]

Those are some good reasons...

Thursday it was announced that UGA would open the 2016 season against North Carolina in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at Atlanta's Georgia Dome. Friday, Seth Emerson of the Macon Telegraph reported that UGA has been guaranteed by the game's organizers, the Peach Bowl committee, $4 million in compensation for their participation in the contest.

Georgia did agree to buy 42,921 tickets for the game, for a total cost of $4,371,985. But UGA will pocket all the money from those tickets sold. The prices range from $50 (students sitting in the upper or lower levels) to $205 (suite tickets.)

One other interesting nugget from the report: the Bulldogs will wear their home red uniforms, while the Tar Heels will don their home powder blues.

[jbcarol]

Brett McMurphy @McMurphyESPN  ·  Feb 19

Cal, Ole Miss schedule home/home series; 2017 at Cal, 2019 at Ole Miss. Cal & Auburn move their series to 2020-21

[jbcarol]

Brett McMurphy @McMurphyESPN  ·  Feb 27

Kansas State adds home/home series with Mississippi State in 2018-19 & Vandy in 2017 & 20

SEC will play 9 Sun Belt teams in 2015. Most of any league. Others: C-USA, MAC 5; ACC, MW 4; Pac-12 3; AAC, B1G 2; Big 12 1

B1G will play 12 MAC teams in 2015. Most of any league. Others: C-USA 6; SB 5; SEC 4; AAC, ACC, Big 12, MW 3; Pac-12 1

[jbcarol]

 Bruce Feldman @BruceFeldmanCFB  ·  20h 20 hours ago

#BYU & #MissState have agreed to a two-game football series in 2016 and 2017. At BYU in '16 & at MSU in 17.

[jbcarol]

AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  16h 16 hours ago
Florida State, Auburn discussing neutral site game, according to report http://ow.ly/KDgg5

[jbcarol]

VandyFootball @VandyFootball  ·  9h 9 hours ago
Vandy and Stanford look forward to a 4-game series! #AnchorDown  http://bit.ly/1N8M4LB 

[jbcarol]

 ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  25m 25 minutes ago

The perils of scheduling too far ahead http://es.pn/1NJfTGv

LSU and Oklahoma have scheduled a home-and-home series for 2027 and 2028 -- that's 12 years from now. The freshmen who will play in those games haven't even exhausted their elementary school eligibility yet.

"I'll be long retired by then," quipped LSU athletic director Joe Alleva.

Even in the era of the College Football Playoff, when strength of schedule is a critical component of the selection committee's evaluation process, athletic directors continue to schedule so far in advance that there's no possible way of knowing how good those opponents will be, let alone who will be coaching them.

Here's the irony: They don't seem to like it.

"I don't like it at all," said Alleva. "I wish we could only go three or four years, that would be fine with me, but we're kind of stuck in a rut."

"We all hope to get there," said Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs.

It doesn't appear to be happening anytime soon. Oklahoma and Nebraska are playing a home-and-home in 2021 and 2022. Michigan and Texas have a series lined up for 2024 and 2027. Wisconsin goes to Hawaii in 2021. Texas A&M and Notre Dame are playing in 2024 and 2025.

[GoHogs1091]

Auburn's task they will be facing their 1st game next season may have become even more daunting.  The other day, Clemson got a Commitment from a 5 Star Defensive Tackle, Dexter Lawrence.

The following may be the starting Clemson Defensive Line Auburn will be facing.

DE:  Shaq Lawson   6'3"  270 lbs.   First Team All-American (Associated Press, USA Today, ESPN, FWAA, Walter Camp)

DT:  Dexter Lawrence    6'5"  330 lbs.  5 Star (#2 ranked DT in the nation)

DT:  Christian Wilkins   6'4"  315 lbs.  5 Star

DE:  Kevin Dodd   6'5"  275 lbs.  (no slouch, Louisville and Florida State found that out)

The above assumes Shaq Lawson doesn't go pro, but there is a chance he doesn't.  Even if he goes pro, Clemson has recruited very well at the DE position.

Auburn probably thought it was very difficult to move the ball against Alabama's Defensive Line this season.  If that above is indeed the 2016 Clemson starting Defensive Line, then it may be even more difficult for Auburn.

[NoNC4Tubs]

There was a rumor that awbern was trying to get out of their game with Clemson... 

[GoHogs1091]

There was a rumor that awbern was trying to get out of their game with Clemson... 

The SEC is doing some bold scheduling.  Ole Miss is playing Florida State next season.  I wouldn't be surprised if Florida State defeats Ole Miss by at least 20 points.

Probably not a wise scheduling move on the part of both Auburn and Ole Miss.

[PharmacistHog]

don't we play TCU?  that might not bode well for us, either. 

[GoHogs1091]

Clemson will be 12 deep on the Defensive Line this upcoming season (6 Defensive Tackles and 6 Defensive Ends).  I figure at least 10 of the 12 will be rotated in throughout a game in order to keep their DL fresh at all times.

With the exception of 1 Defensive Lineman (a DE), the other 11 were all at least 4 Star ranked coming out of High School.  The one that wasn't is Defensive End Sterling Johnson (he was 3 Star ranked).  Johnson is a 295 lb. Defensive End (their Roster shows he is 295 lbs).

It is going to be extremely difficult for opposing Offenses to run the ball against Clemson in 2016.  Two 5 Star ranked Defensive Tackles, Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence, are going to be on the inside of the Clemson DL.  Also, the depth of their DL will make it extremely difficult for opposing Offenses to run the ball. 

[jbcarol]

Tough enough: Auburn only team set to face Clemson, Alabama in 2016

Clemson, coming off a heartbreaking 45-40 loss to Alabama Monday in the national championship, returns a bevy of starters, including record-breaking quarterback and Heisman finalist Deshaun Watson.

It's certain to be a tough game for Auburn, which is searching for a quarterback and breaking in four new coaches, including defensive coordinator Kevin Steele. Steele coached at Clemson previously and his last game as coordinator resulted in a 70-33 loss to West Virginia in the Orange Bowl in January 2012.

Since then, Brent Venables has led Clemson to top-10 finishes on defense in consecutive seasons.

Simply put, there will not be a shortage of storylines on the Plains next season.

The opening game at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Sept. 3 is the beginning of a long, bumpy road on Auburn's schedule. Auburn is the only team in the country scheduled to face the two participants in the national championship -- and do so with Clemson and Alabama serving as bookends on the schedule. ESPN ranks the teams No. 1 and No. 2 in its way-too-early top 25 for next season.

It's also a crucial season for fourth-year Auburn coach Gus Malzahn, who avoided his first losing season in 23 years with a win in the Birmingham Bowl. His fifth season as a college head coach might also present the toughest schedule he'll ever face. Auburn is set to face nine teams that played in bowl games, including the two participants in the national championship game.

[jbcarol]

 AL.com sports ‏@aldotcomSports 1h1 hour ago

Believe it or not, someone is already thinking about next season's betting lines. Let's talk #Auburn vs. #Clemson: http://ow.ly/XQqHb

Clemson is coming off a 45-40 loss to Alabama in the National Championship, but returns most of its offensive firepower, including quarterback and Heisman finalist Deshaun Watson.

Meanwhile, Auburn has no clue who its starting quarterback will be in seven months.

Simply put, Auburn and Clemson could look quite a bit different between today and the season opener inside Jordan-Hare Stadium, but which group of Tigers is the early favorite?

Clemson, which many believe will be the No. 1 team in the preseason polls, has been labeled a six-point favorite by 5Dimes.

[GoHogs1091]

Here is an update regarding what Auburn will probably be facing in their first game.  As of now really the only questions regarding Clemson's starting 22 is whether True Freshman 4 Star Tre Lamar will be the starting Middle Linebacker, and who will be starting Cornerback opposite of Cordrea Tankersley.  It could very well be Sophomore Mark Fields.  Fields won the Fastest Man competition at The Opening, and he was the #9 ranked CB in the nation coming out of High School.

QB:  Deshaun Watson   5 Star   (probable Heisman Award Finalist after the season)
RB:  Wayne Gallman   4 Star   (rushed for 1,527 yards last season)
WR:  Mike Williams   4 Star   (missed all of last season due to a freak injury; will probably be at worst a 2nd Round NFL Draft pick) 
WR:  Artavis Scott   4 Star   (probably should have been 5 Star ranked)
WR:  Deon Cain   5 Star   (Alabama was fortunate to have not had to face Cain)
TE:   Jordan Leggett   3 Star   (a Mackey Award Finalist last season)   
LT:   Mitch Hyatt   5 Star   (named a First Team Freshman All-American after last season; started 15 games last season as a True Freshman) 
LG:   Taylor Hearn   3 Star   330 lbs.     
C:     Jay Guillermo   4 Star  (the #1 ranked Center in the nation when he came out of High School)
RG:  Tyrone Crowder   4 Star   330 lbs.   
RT:  Jake Fruhmorgen   4 Star

DE:  Austin Bryant   4 Star   (had 8 tackles against Oklahoma during partial full game fill-in duty for the injured normal DE starter of last season) 
DT:  Carlos Watkins   4 Star   (probably should have  been 5 Star ranked)
DT:  Christian Wilkins   5 Star
DE:   Clelin Ferrell   4 Star
OLB:  Dorian O'Daniel   4 Star
MLB:  Kendall Joseph   3 Star or True Freshman Tre Lamar   4 Star   6'4"  240 lbs.           
OLB:   Ben Boulware   4 Star   (had 138 tackles last season)         
CB:     Mark Fields   4 Star       
CB:     Cordrea Tankersley   4 Star
S:       Jadar Johnson   3 Star   (a Senior who has played 571 snaps over 39 games during his career at Clemson, and has started 2 games)
S:       Van Smith   4 Star