Instant Analysis: Clemson's late efforts pull away from Cardinal |
CLEMSON - Stanford entered Death Valley on a short fuse.
Turnovers ensured that fuse was quickly shut down. The Tigers forced plenty of turnovers and came away with a 40-14 victory, their second conference win of the young season. With the win, Dabo Swinney ties Bobby Bowden for wins with an ACC team with 173. He has a chance to claim the record as his own against Florida State. It was the 100th win for Swinney as head coach in Memorial Stadium as well, a Clemson first. Here’s what we learned in the winning effort. OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: It wasn’t close to the execution of his last two outings, but Cade Klubnik still made significant plays when it was called of him. With his legs, he opened things up like he did against NC State. That gave the Tigers a lead they would never give back, putting Stanford in an early hole. From there, it was a shaky two quarters, with the Clemson offense struggling to find a consistent rhythm. Still, Klubnik was able to toss three touchdowns to three different receivers, still replicating the distribution we saw from weeks prior. In three home games, the junior quarterback has accounted for 16 total touchdowns. DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: It was a busy night for Barrett Carter. Leading the charge in the second half, the Tiger defense rebounded from a shaky first two quarters, preventing Stanford from gaining ground. Carter led the team in tackles with 10 and 3.5 TFLs. He also had a sack on the evening. The senior linebacker flew from sideline to sideline and gained more confidence as the game progressed. It marked the best game of his career, which Wes Goodwin hopes translates on the road. STAT OF THE GAME: In 2023, turnovers became the Achilles heel of the Tigers. Against Stanford, the margin was the difference between a blowout and keeping a feisty Cardinal team in the contest. Three total interceptions and multiple turnovers on downs erased any momentum Stanford could generate. It wasn’t a perfect night for Clemson by any means, but there continue to be signs that this team is nothing like their 2023 counterpart. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED: Turnovers ruled the first half and shut down momentum the Cardinal offense was carrying despite the deficit. Avieon Terrell and Jeadyn Lukus received gifts from Ashton Daniels and robbed Stanford of multiple scores. The Tiger defense also forced several turnovers on downs, including a fourth down in the red zone early into the third quarter. Troy Taylor’s offense ran a reverse to the right sideline, and it was plugged up by the Clemson front seven. From there, the Tiger offense put the game on ice. Touchdown throws to Bryant Wesco and Cole Turner put Stanford’s chances out of reach. It wasn’t a perfect effort, but Clemson’s offense rolled when it needed big plays. NEXT UP: Clemson travels to Tallahassee to square off against Florida State in the first of a two-game road trip. It also marks a matchup against former Tiger quarterback DJ Uiagalelei and the reeling Seminoles. Kickoff is slated for 7:00 p.m. on ESPN or 7:30 p.m. on ABC. The first coach in @ClemsonFB history to win 100 career home games!
Congrats, Coach Swinney! 🧡🏈 pic.twitter.com/haxKpAdXnV
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