Clemson completed its 2024 conference schedule with a 24-20 win against Pittsburgh. It was a hard-fought game that came down to the last play. The Tigers’ offense struggled in the second half but they played solid on defense. However, Pitt did not lay down, even with a 10-point deficit going into the fourth quarter and dealing with injuries. Late-game heroics by Cade Klubnik and the Tigers’ defense helped give them the edge in the end.
Regardless of how the win came about, Clemson finished 7-1 in the ACC. That record has the Tigers tied for second place in the conference standings with Miami. Clemson will finish the regular season with two non-conference games. Meanwhile, the Tigers will have to watch how Miami and SMU finish the last two weeks of the season.
Rough Day for Offense
Looking at the numbers alone, one might think the offense for both teams shined in this game. Clemson and Pitt combined for 784 total yards of offense. The Tigers put up 346 total yards while the Panthers had 438 yards of offense. The quarterbacks for both teams also threw for over 200 yards. Klubnik completed 27 of his 41 pass attempts for 288 yards and two touchdowns. For Pittsburgh backup Nate Yarnell got the start for the injured Eli Holstein and completed 34 of 54 passes for 350 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
The reality is that both offenses struggled for large parts of the game. Neither team scored a point in the third quarter. The lack of consistent success on offense for both teams largely had to do with hardships in the run game. Clemson had just two rushing yards going into halftime. The Tigers finished with 58 rushing yards overall, mostly from Klubnik’s 50-yard game-winning touchdown run. Phil Mafah had his worst rushing day of the year. He needed 19 yards to eclipse the 1,000-yard rushing mark for this season. Mafah ended the game with just 17 yards on 17 rushes.
Pitt was able to run the ball in the first half, with 63 rushing yards in the first 30 minutes. In the second half though, the Panthers only had 25 yards rushing. Much of this had to do with Daniel Carter getting injured in the second quarter. Carter had 31 rushing yards and a touchdown on just four carries before leaving the game. Desmond Reid played well, especially in the passing game. He finished with 14 carries for 68 yards. In addition, he had 10 receptions for 108 yards. In the end, though, the Panthers turned the ball over one too many times and did not make as many plays as Clemson did.
Defense Shines
It was a rough day for offenses in this game which can only mean the defenses showed up. This is exactly what happened as Clemson and Pitt combined for 13 sacks and 29 tackles for loss. The Panthers’ defensive front and well-timed blitzes gave the mix-and-match Clemson offensive line issues. Pitt racked up five sacks and 13 tackles for loss on defense. Linebacker Kyle Louis stood out for the Panthers. Louis had seven total tackles, two sacks, and three-and-a-half tackles for loss against the Tigers’ offense.
Clemson’s defensive stars did not want to be outdone though. With leading tackler Wade Woodaz out with a leg injury, and the talented freshman backup Sammy Brown being disqualified for targeting, the Tigers had eight sacks and 16 tackles for loss on defense. Defensive end TJ Parker had his best game this season with seven total tackles, four sacks, four-and-a-half tackles for loss, one pass breakup, and a forced fumble. Parker finally showed a glimpse of the dominance he put on display last year.
Senior leaders Barrett Carter and RJ Mickens also played well for Clemson. Both had double-digit tackles, Carter had 12, Mickens had 10, and two tackles for loss. Safety Khalil Barnes also had an impressive game finishing with nine total tackles and half of a tackle for loss. Barnes got the interception to seal the game for the Tigers as well. Just like on the offensive side, Clemson made a couple more plays that helped put them over the Panthers.
ACC Championship Race Update
Checking in on the race to the ACC Championship, the field has gotten thinner. Clemson got the win over Pitt eliminating the Panthers. Louisville was upset by Stanford. This takes the Cardinals out of the race completely. The race has officially narrowed down to Clemson, Miami, and SMU.
The Hurricanes and Mustangs control their destinies from here on out. Both teams have the advantage in a tiebreaker scenario since they both beat Louisville and the Tigers did not. If Miami loses one of its next two games though, Clemson is going to Charlotte. The other way the Tigers can make the conference championship game is by SMU imploding the last two weeks.
No matter what happens the Tigers finished conference play controlling what they can control. They bounced back from their only conference loss well. Even though the last two games are non-conference they must continue to win. If Clemson can finish the regular season with a 10-2 record with one of those wins being against a likely top-20 South Carolina team, they can shake up the discussions around the college football playoff.
