Win a Clemson breast cancer awareness tee!

Happy Tuesday Clemson Girls! This weekend our Clemson football team has a bye week, so we want to shift gears and focus on a cause that is important to many Clemson Girls (and boys) everywhere -- Breast Cancer Awareness. October is breast cancer awareness month - and it is intended to bring greater awareness to breast cancer and breast cancer prevention. Many people are aware of breast cancer, but so many forget to do very simple tests that can catch the disease early when it's more easily treatable.

Queen of the Tailgate, a go-to online boutique for Clemson gameday dresses and accessories, is selling a 'Clemson Tiger Strong' breast cancer pink t-shirt and donating a portion of the proceeds to breast cancer research.

Queen of the Tailgate would like to give away one of their Clemson Tiger Strong Breast Cancer Awareness t-shirts to one of you. Use the widget below to enter...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Deadline for entries is 11:59 pm ET on Thursday, September 24. The winner will be contacted by email (Clemson Girl will not share entry emails or use the emails for any other purpose than to notify the winner). The winner will have 72 hours to respond to the email to claim their prize, otherwise we will draw a new winner.

Thanks to Queen of the Tailgate for sponsoring today's giveaway and helping to bring awareness to and raise money for breast cancer awareness!

#ClemsonTigerStrong

Game Prediction - Clemson vs. Louisville

It’s Thursday night. It’s a nationally televised game. It’s a sold out stadium with 55,000 people rooting against you. It’s why players come to Clemson to play football.

Clemson (2-0) takes to the road for the first time Thursday night for the ACC opener against the Louisville Cardinals (0-2), and if the Tigers’ expectations of an ACC championship and College Football Playoff appearance are to remain intact, this game is a must win.

Who has the upper hand? Let’s take a look.

CLEMSON OFFENSE VS. LOUISVILLE DEFENSE: Clemson’s offense got off to a slow start last week against Appalachian State, scoring just three points in the opening quarter, before jumping out to a huge lead at halftime off of several spectacular throws by Deshaun Watson and physical running by Wayne Gallman. Clemson has playmakers all over the field – Watson at quarterback, Gallman in the backfield, Charone Peake and Artavis Scott at wideout – but can the young offensive line block well enough to give the Tigers a chance? This will be Clemson’s toughest test of the season as the Cardinals have NFL talent all over the field on defense – Josh Harvey-Clemons at safety, Sheldon Rankins at defensive end and Devonte Fields at outside linebacker.

Clemson has the players to beat Louisville, but the offense will need to establish the run early to open up the passing lanes for Watson, and more importantly the wide receivers and tight ends will need to have their best blocking effort of the season.

ADVANTAGE: SLIGHT CLEMSON

LOUISVILLE OFFENSE VS. CLEMSON DEFENSE:

The Cardinals offense has struggled mightily through the first two games of the season, so much so that head coach Bobby Petrino isn’t even sure who the starting quarterback will be in Thursday’s contest. The Cardinals had four turnovers last week against Houston, including two interceptions, and the running game has been anemic at times.

Clemson’s defense is giving up just 3.61 yards per carry, while the pass defense is ranked fifth nationally. If Clemson can get consistent pressure on the Louisville quarterbacks and not allow them to escape contain, it could be a long night for the Cardinals passing attack.

ADVANTAGE: CLEMSON

SPECIAL TEAMS: I’ve said it several times so far this season – Clemson has a new punter, place kicker, holder and snapper. How will those guys handle the pressure of playing in front of a raucous crowd? At punter, Andy Teasdall had a solid performance against App. State, but Louisville’s Joshua Appleby has more experience.

Both kickers have struggled as redshirt freshman Greg Huegel is 2-for-3 for Clemson and John Wallace is 2-for-5 for Louisville. Both teams have also struggled in the kickoff department with short kickoffs. This game could come down to field position.

ADVANTAGE: EVEN

WHAT WILL HAPPEN: On paper, Clemson is the more talented and more experienced team, but how will the 2015 Tigers handle going on the road for the first time? Both teams have freshmen left tackles going up against very good defensive ends. Clemson has the advantage in that they haven’t had a close game and haven’t had to fully show their hand on offense. What kind of wrinkles will offensive coordinators Tony Elliott and Jeff Scott come up with on a short week?

If Clemson can avoid early turnovers and take the crowd out of the game early, they will return home from their first ever trip to Louisville, Kentucky with a victory.

FINAL SCORE: CLEMSON 28 – LOUISVILLE 17

Post written by Clemson Girl Sports Bloggess Nikki Hood

Game Prediction - Clemson vs. Appalachian State

The Clemson Tigers got off to a fast and furious start a week ago, but how will they fair with a step up in competition?

Will Deshaun Watson continue to shine? Will the defense continue to thrive and prove there won’t be a drop-off after losing so much talent from the 2014 squad?

Let’s take a look at some of the things to watch as the Clemson takes on Appalachian State.

APPALACHIAN STATE (1-0) AT NO. 12 CLEMSON (1-0)
WHEN: September 5, 2015 at 12:30 p.m.
WHERE: Clemson Memorial Stadium

 



WHAT TO WATCH FOR

*MAN COVERAGE: The Appalachian State Mountaineers are known for their aggressive style of defense – a smothering run defense and a lockdown man-to-man pass defense. In 2014, the Mountaineers were 25th in total defense, 22nd in pass defense (195 yards per game) and 25th in rush defense (152 yards per game), and they return nine starters off of that squad. However, I’m not quite sure how well App. State will fair should they decide to stick with their traditional man-to-man coverage against Clemson’s wide receivers. Charone Peake, Artavis Scott, Ray-Ray McCloud, Deon Cain and Germone Hopper may be able to use their speed to exploit the single coverage.

*PASS RUSH: With the triple-option offense that Wofford ran a week ago, we truly didn’t get to see what defensive ends Shaq Lawson and Kevin Dodd were capable of because the Terriers were focused on running the ball. This week, however, the Mountaineers will run a more balanced attack, setting the stage for Lawson, Dodd, and company to put their pass rush skills to the test and show just what the defensive line is capable of.

*SPREAD OFFENSE: Saturday’s game will be the battle of two talented quarterbacks and two spread offenses. Clemson’s Deshaun Watson shined last week against Wofford in his first action since tearing his ACL last November. Watson completed 18-22 passes for 194 yards and two scores. The Tigers amassed over 500 yards of total offense and have a good mix of speed on the edge at the wide receiver position as well as a solid running attack behind Wayne Gallman.

For the Mountaineers, quarterback Taylor Lamb is calling the shots at quarterback. Lamb was 16- of-21 passes for 209 yards and a career high-tying three touchdowns in a little over two quarters of game action. App State junior running back Marcus Cox ran for 105 yards and a touchdown on just 11 carries. In all, App. State totaled 663 yards of total offense in its season opener against Howard.

*SPECIAL TEAMS: I mentioned last week that I wanted to see Clemson’s special teams in action as the Tigers had new starters in kickoff return, punt return, punter, kicker, snapper and holder. Artavis Scott answered all of the questions as Clemson’s starting punt returner, but I need to see more out of the kicking game. Greg Huegel was 6-for-6 in extra points, but how will he do when he lines up for a field goal? Can punter Andy Teasdall put together a more consistent performance?

WHAT WILL HAPPEN – The Mountaineers will no doubt be tougher test than what Clemson faced last week, however, head coach Dabo Swinney has made his team focus on every game no matter the opponent. Appalachian State will score points, and it will be a close game in the third quarter, but in the end Clemson’s speed and talented depth will just be too much.

FINAL SCORE: CLEMSON 45 – APPALACHIAN STATE 13

Post written by Clemson Girl Sports Bloggess, Nikki Hood

Win $50 gift certificate to L. Mae Boutique

Happy Wednesday! Who is ready for another home Clemson football game? Have you picked out your Clemson gameday outfit yet?

I love shopping local boutiques for Clemson gameday fashion. I love shopping boutiques for Clemson gameday fashion when one of the owners of the boutique is a Clemson Girl and alum - because that means the boutique will have a LOT of orange and purple apparel and accessories that are perfect for Clemson gamedays! Meet Clemson alum owned boutique L. Mae Boutique...

Last year we wrote a post sharing our favorite online stores to shop for Clemson gameday outfits, and the Pawleys Island boutique L. Mae Boutique was one of the sites we featured because we love their amazing selection of Clemson gameday clothes and accessories. So when L. Mae Boutique recently reached out to us about a giveaway for our readers, we were thrilled!

If you haven't yet, you MUST check out L. Mae Boutique. They describe themselves as "a modern boutique with a Southern touch, an inspiring and unpretentious space to fall in love with fashion. L. Mae Boutique carries a perfect and unique selection of clothing pieces complemented by a one-of- a-kind shopping experience that will enable you to look and feel your best."

L. Mae Boutique is located on Pawleys Island, but you can also shop their gorgeous selection of all things orange and purple on their website.

I have personally shopped their online store in the past for Clemson gameday outfits and for everyday outfits, and I assure you that you will not be disappointed by the quality of their clothes or the quality of their customer service.

I check the L. Mae Boutique website weekly (sometimes daily), because they are always adding new items to their website, and because L. Mae Boutique only carries a limited quantity of each item, so it could sell out quickly... but it's great, because you can be confident that not everyone will be wearing the same outfit.

If you don't want to check the website obsessively like I do, follow L. Mae Boutique on Facebook or sign up for their email list so you will be the first to know when new items are added to online or in store. :) You can also follow them on Instagram to see photos of outfits styled with L. Mae Boutique items.

L. Mae Boutique $50 Gift Certificate Giveaway
One very lucky Clemson Girl is going to win $50 to spend online at L. Mae Boutique. Use the widget below to enter - you can get up to five total entries.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Deadline for entries is Thursday night, September 10, at Midnight EST. We will draw a winner at random and contact the winner by email. Email addresses will not be shared or used for any other purpose than for Clemson Girl to contact the winner. The winner has 72 hours to reply to our email or we will draw a new winner.

Best of luck Clemson Girls! And a big Clemson Girl thank you to L. Mae Boutique for sponsoring today's fab giveaway!

Game Prediction - Clemson vs. Wofford

It’s here.

The day we’ve all been waiting for since the Tigers stepped off the field in late December after a dominating performance over Oklahoma has finally arrived.

Game time in Death Valley is here.

The opponent isn’t sexy. The national media won’t be talking about Clemson and Wofford, but this is the type of opponent Clemson needs as they bring Deshaun Watson back from injury and break in two new offensive coordinators and a bevy of freshmen.

What should Clemson fans want to see Saturday afternoon? Let’s take a look.

WOFFORD (0-0) AT CLEMSON (0-0)
WHEN: September 5, 2015 at 12:30 p.m.
WHERE: Clemson Memorial Stadium

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

*DESHAUN WATSON – Watson was one of the best of in the country last season when healthy. He played in eight games last season, including five as the starter, and completed 93-of-137 passes for 1,466 yards and 14 touchdowns (two interceptions). His passer rating of 188.7 led all quarterbacks who attempted at least 125 passes. Can the Gainesville (GA) native return to freshman form? How much will he trust his surgically repaired knee and how much will the coaches allow him to run in week one?

*OFFENSIVE IDENTITY – Clemson was looking to be a smash-mouth spread team under former offensive coordinator Chad Morris (now the head coach at SMU), but always seemed to be a pass-first offense. How will the offense change under first-year co-coordinators Tony Elliott and Jeff Scott? Clemson’s offense has a talented and deep group of running backs led by Wayne Gallman, who rushed for 769 yards last season, but they also have a game-changing group of wide receivers with starters Charone Peake, Mike Williams, and Artavis Scott. Throw in the tight ends group of Jordan Leggett, Jay Jay McCullough, Cannon Smith, Milan Richard and Garrett Williams, and Watson has plenty of offensive weapons.

*THE NEWBIES – Clemson has over 40 freshmen and redshirt freshmen on the roster this season, and many of them will be counted on in crunch time, but there are none more important than rookie left tackle Mitch Hyatt who will be starting his first game Saturday. Hyatt is the first freshman to open the season at left tackle since 1944 when Phil Prince started the opener against Presbyterian. The Georgia native is talented but how will he handle his first collegiate snaps?
Wide receivers Trevion Thompson, Deon Cain, Ray-Ray McCloud, Hunter Renfrow; quarterback Kelly Bryant and offensive linemen Jake Fruhmorgen, Taylor Hearn and Justin Falcinelli should all see significant playing time.

On the defensive side of the ball, defensive tackle Christian Wilkins will be counted on heavily to shore up the inside of the defensive line and step in during D.J. Reader’s absence is he up for the challenge?

Dane Rogers Austin Bryant, Albert Huggins, Jabril Robinson, Richard Yeargin, Kendall Joseph, Judah and J.D. Davis, Jalen Williams, Van Smith, Jefferie Gibson and Mark Fields should also see action on Saturday.

*DEFENSIVE DROPOFF? – Clemson lost playmakers at every position off of 2014’s defensive squad, will there be a significant drop off in 2015? Guys like Vic Beasley, Deshawn Williams, Grady Jarrett, Corey Crawford, Stephone Anthony and Robert Smith are all playing in the NFL now. How will Shaq Lawson and Kevin Dodd do in their first game leading the defense? Can B.J. Goodson and Ben Boulware replace Anthony and Tony Steward?

*SPECIAL TEAMS – If you had asked me what my two biggest questions were coming into 2015, I would’ve told you offensive line and special teams. My question about the offensive line have somewhat been answered, but the concern about special teams has only grown. Greg Huegel – the redshirt freshman from Blythewood (SC) – will be making his first start at placekicker and kickoff specialist. How will he handle the pressure of field goal kicking? The Tigers have to replace punter Bradley Pinion, who is now with the San Francisco 49ers. And, oh, by the way, Clemson is also breaking in a new long snapper and holder. Can they work out the chinks over the next two weeks before heading to Louisville for a Thursday night contest?

WHAT WILL HAPPEN – Remember 2011 when Clemson barely escaped the Wofford Terriers with an eight-point victory? This game won’t be that close, but it could be closer than Clemson fans would like late in the third quarter. Despite the fact that Wofford bring back 20 starters, Clemson is simply the more talented team.

FINAL SCORE: CLEMSON 42 – WOFFORD 17

Post written by Clemson Girl Sports Bloggess, Nikki Hood

Win $50 from HoneyBee Lane Designs!

It's the most wonderful time of the year.....Football season is here! Football season is here! Whoo hoo!!

Celebrate with us and HoneyBee Lane Designs! HoneyBee Lane Designs has generously offered one very lucky Clemson Girl reader $50 to spend at their online store. At Honeybee Lane Designs you will find handmade jewelry, monogrammed gifts and accessories. Whether you are looking for the perfect gift, a great gameday accessory or just something new to spice up your wardrobe, they've got you covered.

You have to check out their great selection of Clemson gameday accessories and gifts. HoneyBee Lane Designs is also offering Clemson Girls a special deal now through Sunday, September 6 -- use coupon code ClemsonGirl and get 20% off of our order!

Here are a few of our favorites...

Acrylic Monogrammed Keychain

Orange monogrammed ring

Pocket Monogrammed T-shirt

Orange and purple monogrammed earrings 

Monogrammed Acrylic Tumbler

Coffee Mug

HoneyBee Lane Designs $50 Gift Certificate Giveaway
One very lucky Clemson Girl will win $50 to spend at HoneyBee Lane Designs! Use the widget below to enter -- you can get multiple entries!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Deadline for entries is Midnight EST on Thursday night, September 3. We will randomly draw a winner and contact the winner by their email address. The winner will have a week from when we send the email to reply and claim the prize. If we do not hear from the winner, we will randomly select a new winner.

Special thanks to HoneyBee Lane Designs for sponsoring today's giveaway to help us celebrate the start of the 2015 Clemson football season. Good luck ladies!

And GO TIGERS!