Orange Bowl: Clemson Vs. Tennessee New Year's Six Preview, Prediction

No. 7 Clemson Tigers vs. No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers New Year's Six bowl preview in the Orange Bowl.

The Clemson Tigers (11-2) square off against the Tennessee Volunteers (10-2) in the Orange Bowl, a New Year's Six bowl game in Bowl Season. Kickoff comes from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., on Friday, Dec. 30, at 7:00 p.m. ET.

There's a lot to cover in this game, notably with who and who is not available for each team. Can Tennessee cap off an incredible season with an NY6 victory?

Sizing Up The Clemson Tigers

Another year, another ACC Championship for Dabo Swinney and Clemson. However, that conference title came after two losses and a second straight year being omitted from the College Football Playoff.

Maligned QB DJ Uiagalelei hit the transfer portal after being benched in the ACC title game in favor of freshman Cade Klubnik. Little tape exists on Klubnik, but he is a highly-touted five star QB from the 2022 class. His limited involvement in games showed flashes of terrific arm talent and an advanced ability to process defenses.

The offense this season runs through running back Will Shipley, who rushed for over 1,100 yards and 15 touchdowns. The offensive line is a much better run blocking unit than a pass blocking one, but no matter how you dice it, they've had a tough year.

Once again, defense won the day for Clemson. Especially up front, this was another strong unit led by multiple All-America selections in Myles Murphy and Trenton Simpson. Unfortunately, neither will play on Dec. 30. Bryan Bresee hasn't yet opted out of the game despite being a top NFL prospect, but he is another extremely disruptive pass rusher for the Tigers.

Sizing Up The Tennessee Volunteers

What a year Tennessee had. After starting outside the preseason top 25 (which shows about how accurate and valuable those rankings are), the Vols ripped off eight straight wins to start the season, including an iconic walk off win over Alabama in Neyland.

Hendon Hooker was looking like a Heisman favorite, even after the Vols lost their first tough game at Georgia. Then Hooker suffered a torn ACL, ending his season and his collegiate career. It was a brutal blow for Tennessee, although backup Joe Milton is a fully capable player.

Along with Hooker, receiver Jaylin Hyatt saw a meteoric rise to notoriety, winning the Biletnikoff Award for the nation's best receiver. Cedric Tillman provided an excellent complement, having been the team's top pro prospect for a couple years.

The defense wasn't great, but when the offense was able to put up 50 points on any given week, it didn't have to be.

Until it needed to be.

To close out the year, Tennessee– who was still vying for a CFP spot– was blown out by South Carolina, giving up 63 points. Instead, they land in a New Year's Six Bowl, but it's a berth that feels like a crummy consolation prize compared to where this team was in November. 

Notable Injuries, Opt Outs

Clemson: QB DJ Uiagalelei (transfer), DE Myles Murphy (Opt Out), LB Trenton Simpson (Opt Out), RB Kobe Pace (transfer), DB Fred Davis (transfer), WR EJ Williams (transfer)

Tennessee: QB Hendon Hooker (OUT), WR Jaylin Hyatt (Opt Out), WR Cedric Tillman (Opt Out), OT Darnell Wright (Opt Out), EDGE Byron Young (Opt Out), LB Jeremy Banks (Opt Out)

Why Clemson Can Win

When it comes to who is missing fewer staples, Clemson wins. Klubnik is a better passer than Uiagalelei, even if he's not as refined in the game yet. The championship experience comes into play here, too– Swinney is plenty conditioned to high-stakes games like this one. He's also excellent at getting his guys excited to play in bowl games where other teams may struggle with motivation.

Clemson fields the superior defense even with their vacancies and it's not much of a discussion there. While the Tigers might not match the pace and explosiveness on offense of Tennessee, their talent at skill positions can win out against one of the worst defenses in the country.

Tennessee allowed the fifth-most plays of 20 or more yards in the SEC this season, although the unit tightened up a bit down the back stretch of the season.

Without Hooker, the Vols aren't the same team. Clemson has the coaching experience. Tennessee's offensive coordinator is out after accepting another head coaching job. There's a strong argument for the Tigers in this one.

Why Tennessee Can Win

Perhaps the Clemson defense is riddled enough with the absences of Murphy and Simpson to be vulnerable; after all, we did see some teams move the ball effectively this season even with the Clemson defense at full strength.

While the loss of Hooker was monumental for Tennessee, Milton is an experienced QB who has played football at a high level for a long time. In terms of inexperienced mistakes, the Vols won't be beating themselves here.

However, an upset by Tennessee here would have to come based on pure motivation and effort. With all of their opt outs and the way the Vols closed the season, that's a tough argument to make.

They are the most explosive offense and Clemson's defense does give up the occasional big play. The Vols also have played in more big games than Clemson and are clearly the more battle-tested team.

Clemson Vs. Tennessee Prediction

The defensive effort by Tennessee to close out the season against South Carolina was pitiful to say the least. It's clear the loss of Hooker derailed this team's entire season, starting with from inside the locker room.

Dabo Swinney is excellent at making the most out of bowl games, even if it's not where the team wanted to be. Expect this to be an audition tape for Klubnik, who will be at the forefront of most Heisman conversations this offseason.

When it comes to teams missing a lot of pieces, I always lean to the better defense and the more experienced coach.

The pick: Clemson 36-21

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