Meineke Car Care Bowl 2010: 10 Things You Need To Know About USF Vs. Clemson

The Meineke Car Care Bowl is the modern incarnation of the Queen City Bowl, which made its debut in 2002.

The Meineke Car Care Bowl pits two bottom-of-the-barrel teams (or at least in terms of those that are bowl eligible) from the Big East and ACC against one another at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Interestingly enough, this year's Meineke Car Care Bowl will be the final installment of the bowl with its current title sponsor.  In 2011, the game will become the Belk Bowl after the southeast regional department store chain.

Meanwhile, the 2010 bowl will feature the South Florida Bulls and the Clemson Tigers on December 31, 2010 at 12:00 pm (EST).

Overall Record: 6-6

ACC Record: 4-4 (fifth out of six in ACC Atlantic)

Best win: 11/6/10 vs. then-No. 25 North Carolina State (14-13)

Worst loss: 11/27/10 vs. then-No. 17 South Carolina (29-7)

Notable game: 9/18/10 at then-No. 15 Auburn (27-24 overtime loss)

Overall Record: 7-5

Big East Record: 3-4 (fifth out of eight in the Big East)

Best win: 11/27/10 at Miami (FL) (23-20 OT)

Worst loss: 10/9/10 vs. Syracuse (13-9)

Notable game: 12/4/10 vs. Connecticut (19-16 loss)

The Tigers began 2010 with promise, but after a nail-biting overtime loss to BCS title-chasing Auburn, it's been all downhill.

Clemson averaged a meager 23.8 points per game behind sophomore quarterback Kyle Parker.  Parker had 12 touchdowns with 10 interceptions in Clemson's 6-6 campaign.

South Florida struggled on offense in 2010.  The Bulls rank just 88th in the FBS in scoring offense with 23.5 points per game.

USF's QB tandem of B.J. Daniels and Bobby Eveld combined for just 11 touchdowns, compared to their collective 15 interceptions.  Not surprisingly, this produced a 101st-ranked passing attack.

USF's running game fared slightly better in 2010, with Moise Plancher (743 YDS 4 TD) and Demetrius Murray (508 YDS 4 TD) splitting carries.

Clemson has a great defense, allowing just 17.8 points per game.

Had Clemson's offense been up to the task, the Tigers could have easily been in the hunt of a BCS bowl berth in 2010.  Alas, the Tigers offense couldn't capitalize on the great play of the defense as they limped to a 6-6 finish and finished as the last bowl-eligible team in the ACC.

The bright spot for the Bulls in 2010 was also on defense.

USF ranked 19th in the nation in scoring defense, yielding only 19.5 points per game.  With the exception of their 38-14 drubbing at the hands of Florida on September 11, the Bulls were competitive in every game in 2010, thanks mostly to their defense.

Da'Quan Bowers.

Even with USF's prowess on defense, the Bulls will have trouble containing Bowers—even with double coverage.

Bowers could be the difference-maker in what could be a close contest.

Moise Plancher.

Plancher is one of the few bright spots the Bulls have enjoyed on offense.  He is capable of some big plays, and had he been the lone carrier for the Bulls this season, his numbers would have been much more impressive.

When it comes down to it, this bowl game pits two teams against each other with a combined 13-11 record.

Both South Florida and Clemson were clear underachievers this season who were hoping for a far loftier bowl than the lowly Meineke Car Care Bowl.

But since we live in the era of "everybody gets a ribbon," we'll be forced to live through bowl games featuring two mediocre-at-best football teams.

Clemson and USF feature two pretty good defenses lining up against two pretty bad offenses.  People probably don't need much reason to not watch this game, but its probable lack of offensive fireworks will only add to the number of people tuning in to one of the other countless bowl games on December 31.

Clemson beats South Florida, 19-13.