Clemson makes statement to CFB Playoff committee, blasts NC State
The Clemson Tigers absolutely blasted the NC State Wolfpack Saturday night on national television, making a statement to the CFB Playoff committee.
The Clemson Tigers came into Week 11 of the College Football season ranked No. 5 in the nation and it’s clear they weren’t happy with their position.
The Tigers took out their frustrations on the NC State Wolfpack, coming away with a 55-10 victory up in Carter-Finley Stadium.
With the win, Clemson clinched the ACC Atlantic Division and officially punched its ticket to Charlotte for the conference title game.
As far as the game Saturday night, the Tigers took control from the start and never looked back. Trevor Lawrence got the scoring started off with a 7-yard scamper for a touchdown to put Clemson up 7-0 with 10:56 left in the first quarter. On the next possession, Lawrence found Tee Higgins for a 33-yard touchdown pass and the rout was officially on.
The Tiger defense forced two turnovers and Clemson went up 28-0 at the end of the first quarter. The Tigers entered halftime with a 42-0 lead and used the second half to mostly build depth and get game experience for some of the younger players.
Here’s a look at the box score, prominent stats and an analysis of the Tigers as they trek towards the CFB Playoff following the win.
Box Score:
Stats (Via ESPN):
Passing- Trevor Lawrence 20-for-27, 276 yards, 3 TDs.
Rushing- Travis Etienne 14 carries for 112 yards, 2 TDs; Lawrence 8 carries for 59 yards, 1 TD;
Receiving- Tee Higgins 4 receptions, 73 yards, 1 TD; Etienne 3 receptions, 31 yards, 1 TD; Justyn Ross 4 receptions, 75 yards, 1 TD.
Analysis:
Following Penn State’s loss to Minnesota and Alabama’s home-loss to LSU where the Crimson Tide gave up 46 points to the Tigers, Clemson is sitting pretty in terms of its CFB Playoff hopes.
After debuting at No. 5 in the CFB Playoff rankings, the Tigers should move up to No. 3 and look to be in control of their own destiny as we head down the stretch. It will be interesting to see what the committee does with Alabama and Penn State, and what they do with teams like Minnesota, Oregon, Utah, Georgia and Oklahoma.
There’s going to be some major shake-ups in the rankings this week, but Clemson certainly proved that it belongs in the top-four and that the Tigers are as good as anyone in the nation in terms of talent and depth.
Even in the blowout win, Clemson’s coaching staff will have plenty of film and areas for the team to improve.
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The Tigers will return to Death Valley for the final home game of the season next Saturday to take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Clemson has clinched the ACC Atlantic, but this game will still be important for building towards the postseason and remaining alive in the playoff hunt.