After being down by a touchdown at halftime, Clemson had a big second half to beat Virginia Tech 24-14. It was a sloppy start for the Tigers who struggled to get much going offensively in the first half. They also gave up a blocked field goal on special teams that the Hokies returned for a touchdown. After making adjustments during the halftime break the Tigers came out firing on all sides of the ball. With this win and Miami getting upset by Georgia Tech earlier in the day, the ACC race is still open for the Tigers to take.
Defense Steps Up
The biggest difference between the loss against Louisville and the win against Virginia Tech was how well the Clemson defense played against the run. The Hokies have one of the best rushing attacks in the ACC. However, the Tigers shut down the run game from the star. Coming into the game Virginia Tech averaged 201 rushing yards per game and Clemson held the Hokies to just 40 yards rushing.
Neither Kyron Drones nor Bhayshul Tuten could get going. Both players looked as if they still were not 100 percent healthy from the injuries that kept them out against Syracuse. The Hokies leading rusher for the game was backup quarterback Collin Schlee. He had 28 yards rushing after stepping in for Drones early in the fourth quarter. Schlee also threw a touchdown pass in his one-quarter of action.
Clemson’s true freshman linebacker, Sammy Brown, got his first career start and was a difference-maker. He had eight tackles, two-and-a-half for loss, and a sack against the Hokies. Brown was the Tigers’ leading tackler and a big reason for the improved run defense.
The Clemson pass defense was also solid, resulting in two picks against the Hokies. Ashton Hampton made the first one, making a highlight play by grabbing a low pass with one hand. RJ Mickens had the second interception, which helped the Tigers seal the win. The Clemson defense did what it needed to bounce back from the poor performance a week earlier.
Offense Gets its Groove Back
In the first half, the Tigers’ offense looked lost especially upfront. Injuries impacted the Clemson offensive line and several young players were thrown into the fire. Once those young linemen settled in though so did Cade Klubnik. From there the offense began to click.
Klubnik made some eye-popping plays in this game too. One of which might be the highlight of the year for Clemson. Klubnik narrowly avoided a sack spinning out of the tackle, escaped the pocket, and found an open TJ Moore down the field for a 41-yard touchdown pass. It sparked some energy back in the Clemson offense and was incredible to watch.
Once Klubnik regained confidence, it spread through the rest of the unit. Three different Tiger receivers caught a touchdown pass including Moore, Cole Turner, and Jake Briningstool. With his touchdown reception, Briningstool now owns the record for most receptions by a Clemson tight end with 113. Phil Mafah also had a good day running the ball with 128 rushing yards on 26 carries. The Tigers offense that showed up in the second half is the one that will be needed for Clemson to stay in the hunt for a championship run.
What This Win Means for the ACC Race
This was a much-needed win for Dabo Swinney and his team. The loss to Louisville will hurt the Tigers, but the Miami loss to Georgia Tech gets them back in the race. The most important thing for Clemson going forward is winning. The Tigers must stay focused on who their opponent is week to week and winning on that day. If they can do that and Miami loses one more game, the Tigers will be in a position to be in the ACC Championship game.
Even if Miami does not lose another game SMU can lose a game or two to finish the season and help the Tigers’ chances. Whatever happens, Swinney must make sure he keeps his team locked in on what they can control. That is what will give Clemson the best shot to compete for a conference championship once again.
