Halftime Analysis: Louisville giving Clemson all it has entering the half

Phil Mafah's runs were a bright spot for the Tigers. (Photo: Ken Ruinard / USATODAY)

by Grayson Mann - Correspondent - Sat Nov 02 21:30:59 GMT-04:00 2024

CLEMSON - The Tigers wanted this to be a November to remember.

Louisville decided to give them a game they wouldn’t forget.

The Cardinals have once again faced a high-caliber opponent and have lived up to the challenge.

The Tigers trail entering halftime for the first time since Georgia, with the Cardinals holding a 17-7 lead.

Here’s what we observed.

Player of the half: Dabo Swinney said Cade Klubnik’s legs would be a factor on Saturday Night.

So far, that’s proven to be the case. Once again, Klubnik has continued orchestrating Riley’s offense well, finding his freshman wideouts for crucial conversions.

It hasn’t been the flashy night of offense fans might’ve hoped for, but when Klubnik needed to make a play, he answered the call.

Stat of the half: Louisville’s first-half penalties have truly kept the Cardinals from finishing multiple scoring drives.

On both trips to the red zone, illegal shifts and procedural penalties have destroyed promising drives for Louisville’s offense.

Currently, they have four penalties for 20 yards, while Clemson has four for 39 yards.

The Tigers have taken advantage of those miscues, and those mistakes have kept this a close ball game entering the second half.

What’s working for Clemson: When the offense moved in a quick rhythm, good things continued to happen.

It wasn’t the best start for the Tiger offense out the gate, but Clemson’s third drive gave the roaring home crowd something to cheer for.

T.J. Moore and Bryant Wesco both snagged key conversions, and the jumbo package was a haunting sight for the Louisville defense.

The Tiger offense hasn’t been able to get Phil Mafah consistently involved, but the senior tailback has slowly progressed into a bruiser for any Cardinal defender in his path.

What’s not working for Clemson: Chunk plays have hurt the Tigers throughout the first half, giving up over ten yards per rush.

The Cardinals attacked the edge of Clemson’s defensive line, particularly with Peter Woods absent to defend his side.

Isaac Brown, Louisville’s freshman phenom, has also continued to put together a stellar first year with the Cardinals, racking a major gain in the second quarter.

Between chunk plays coming from Tiger penalties and the Cardinals forcing the issue, Wes Goodwin’s defense has their work cut out for them in the second half.

What the Tigers need to do to win: Swinney said Louisville would be Clemson’s greatest test since Georgia.

So far, he’s been proven correct.

The Tigers need to continue to utilize Klubnik’s legs as a spark plug for the offense, with the junior already tallying multiple conversions on the ground.

Defensively, Clemson must limit the chunk plays on the ground and force Tyler Shough into uncomfortable situations, something the seventh-year quarterback hasn’t faced in Clemson often tonight.