5 burning questions for Clemson against Texas A&M ... and a prediction

No. 1 Clemson will host No. 12 Texas A&M at 3:30 p.m. Saturday (ABC) at Memorial Stadium in Clemson. Here are our top five questions heading into the game:

1. Is Clemson’s secondary up for the challenge?

Kellen Mond passed for more than 400 yards against Clemson’s defense last season, and he is even better this year, according to Tigers coach Dabo Swinney. With that said, Swinney believes Clemson’s back seven is better as well. A.J. Terrell should lock down one side of the field for Clemson, but the Aggies are likely to test Derion Kendrick and whoever is on the other side opposite Terrell early and often. Clemson’s safeties must also play well, whether it be Tanner Muse, K’Von Wallace, Denzel Johnson or Nolan Turner who is in coverage.

2. Can Trevor Lawrence bounce back?

This is not the question we thought we would be asking after Week 1, but it is a valid question after Lawrence last week threw two interceptions in a game for the first time in his career. Texas A&M’s defense is better than the one Lawrence had some struggles against in Week 1, and he will need to be sharp for the Tigers to pass what could be their biggest test of the season. Lawrence was 13-of-23 passing for 168 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions in the opener.

3. How does Texas A&M defend Clemson?

Georgia Tech went with the game plan of slowing down the passing game, and the Yellow jackets did. Unfortunately for Georgia Tech, Travis Etienne and Clemson’s other running backs ran wild. Etienne finished with 205 yards and three touchdowns, and the Tigers accounted for more than 400 rushing yards in total against the Yellow Jackets. You have to pick your poison with Clemson’s offense. You can either play coverage and try to eliminate the big play in the passing game, or bring pressure, try to stop the run and make Lawrence beat you through the air. Either way, slowing down Clemson is not easy.

4. Can Clemson stop the run?

While Mond put up huge numbers against the Tigers last season, the Aggies are at their best when they are having success running the football. Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher is one of the best play callers in the country, and when he can establish the run and then call play-action passes the Aggies are tough to slow down. Clemson needs to not only stop the run but do so without having to bring extra pressure. The Tigers have six first-year starters in their front seven that will be challenged.

5. Is the line too high?

Even most Clemson fans seem to think the 17-point spread is a lot. With that said, one of the only Clemson games I expected to be close last year was the national title game, and the Tigers won by four touchdowns. Swinney believes these are two of the best teams in the country, and the Aggies won nine games a season ago. If Texas A&M is indeed one of the best teams in the country, then 17 points seems like an awful lot..

Prediction: I was surprised when the line opened at 19.5, and at 17 it still seems too high. Clemson has several new faces defensively, and the Tigers struggled with Texas A&M’s offense last year. Lawrence should bounce back and Clemson should be able to outscore the Aggies, but it won’t be easy.

Pick: Clemson 38, Texas A&M 34

This story was originally published September 6, 2019 at 8:27 AM with the headline "5 burning questions for Clemson against Texas A&M ... and a prediction."