Best and most complete game of the season. Trevor Lawrence was nearly flawless, Travis Etienne had another violent 100 yard game, and the defense more than answered BC’s brawny, multiple TE sets — starters and backups alike.
While our, umm, more easily-baited fans get in never-ending Twitter wars over the polls, take solace in Clemson rounding into form late in the year — as is standard and especially as is desired — while the unbeatens gradually begin to fall. Oklahoma’s loss should ensure an undefeated Clemson won’t fall past #4, and as long as we’re in that top 4, anything beyond 13-0 is just gravy.
Unless you’re (justifiably) furious about having to fly to Phoenix versus driving to Atlanta for the semifinal, relax and watch everyone else begin to struggle while Clemson only gets better.
BC First Drive
Down & Distance
Formation
Play
Analysis
Down & Distance
Formation
Play
Analysis
1st & 10
13 ace vs 4-3 under
Split zone to Dillon gains 8
Pinckney and Davis each got pushed outside, easy cutback and YAC.
2nd & 2
13 ace vs 4-3
PA boot blown up by Simmons, incomplete
Velociraptor.
3rd & 2
12 2x2 (TEs split) shotgun vs 4-3
Quick out rub vs man cover 0 (DBs have receivers, LBs have underneath zones), Muse closed and make contact to force the drop
Correct call and read vs safeties in man, BC brought motion in to give the TE running the out a free release and better rub, Muse just closed too quickly.
Clemson First Drive
Down & Distance
Formation
Play
Analysis
Down & Distance
Formation
Play
Analysis
1st & 10
11 shotgun vs 4-3
Flea flicker to Ross, PI
Dabo coming out hot again.
1st & 10
10 shotgun vs 4-3
IZ to Etienne gains 6
Look at that, an actual called run, not RPO.
2nd & 4
11 pistol vs 4-3
Flare screen to Etienne gains 10
The fun here is watching Carman move in space, very smooth.
1st & 10
Empty shotgun vs nickel
Spacing concept, quick curl/slant to Ross gains 11
Ross reminding us he's at his most lethal closer to the QB, in the slot or boundary.
1st & 10
11 shotgun (WR trips) vs 4-3
ZR dive to Etienne gains 20
Beautiful blocking, RG and RT were free to the second level and made clean, sustained blocks, easy line and highlight yards both.
1st & 9
11 pistol vs 4-3
Stretch zone to Etienne hit for a loss of 2.
Chalk was beaten at the point of attack, not a bust, edge defender overpowered him.
2nd & 11
11 shotgun vs 4-3
ZR keeper gains 8
Correct read, Lawrence put a move on and might've scored if the umpire hadn't bumped the tackler right into Lawrence.
3rd & 3
11 shotgun vs 4-3
Stacked out routes, Rodgers is triple teamed and Higgins is all alone in the endzone, Lawrence doesn't see him and is sacked.
Rodgers was the first read and when he wasn't open, Lawrence looked to the other side of the field, never saw Higgins uncovered. Field goal good.
BC Second Drive
Down & Distance
Formation
Play
Analysis
Down & Distance
Formation
Play
Analysis
1st & 10
12 ace vs 4-3
Power to Dillon gains 6
Simmons was free off the edge for a TFL but the pulling guard barely kicked out enough to keep the lane clear.
2nd & 4
12 ace vs 4-3
Iso to Dillon gains 5
And this is what we expected/feared from the BC offense: overpowering the Clemson front.
1st & 10
12 ace vs 4-3
Jet sweep gains 5
Terrell set the edge and Muse flew the alley but slipped in the hole; Skalski cleaned up.
2nd & 5
12 ace vs 4-3
OZ blown up for a loss of 2
Rudolph and Pinckney would fought down the line and blew up the edge and penetrated.
3rd & 7
11 shotgun vs dime
Corner blitz in front of cover 3, deep post overthrown and almost picked by Turner.
BC picked up the corner blitz well but it was the interior fire zone blitz which forced the arm punt.
Clemson Second Drive
Down & Distance
Formation
Play
Analysis
Down & Distance
Formation
Play
Analysis
1st & 10
11 pistol vs 4-3
Counter to Etienne hit for no gain
Surprisingly it was Higgins' man who blew this up; Simpson and Chalk did enough. The corner crashed the run before Higgins could get in position to stalk block.
2nd & 10
10 shotgun vs 4-3
Corner to Rodgers vs Sam fire, man cover 1 gains 15.
BC attempted to disguise with double high moving to single high at the snap, but Lawrence read it quickly. Easy yards.
1st & 10
11 shotgun (WR trips) vs 4-3
Power option pitch to Etienne gains 15
Pure speed on the edge, it looked like BC would have this strung out but Etienne was too quick for the unblocked LB.
1st & 10
11 shotgun vs 4-3
PA, deep go to Ross vs man, PI.
Not sure about this PI call, seemed uncatchable.
1st & 10
11 pistol vs 4-3
PA, deep cross to Higgins vs man, PI.
This is even more iffy, if I reach I could argue perhaps the reason Higgins could only make a one handed attempt was because of the slightest grab from the off hand? Shouldn't have been a flag.
1st & 10
11 shotgun vs 4-3
PA rollout left, Lawrence checks down to Price for a gain of 15
Am I alone in thinking Lawrence is better rolling left than right?
1st & 3
11 shotgun vs 4-3
Split zone to Etienne, touchdown
Pure effort from Etienne, laid down on a few dudes and stretched the ball across.
BC ball, 6:57, BC 25, 10-0 Clemson lead
Down & Distance
Formation
Play
Analysis
Down & Distance
Formation
Play
Analysis
1st & 10
12 ace vs 4-3
Power handoff gains 3
Foster shoved his blocker 3 yards backward and gave Wallace a clear lane to fill.
2nd & 7
12 ace (bunch left) vs 4-3
Quick pitch stuffed for no gain
The entire front 7 was on the edge for the gang tackle; Smith and Pickney led the way.
3rd & 7
11 shotgun vs 4-3
Rollout vs cover 3, deep out almost picked by Wallace, punt
Should've been another pick 6 perhaps, never should've been thrown.
Clemson ball, 5:47, Clemson 25, 10-0 Clemson lead
Down & Distance
Formation
Play
Analysis
Down & Distance
Formation
Play
Analysis
1st & 10
11 pistol vs 4-3
Tunnel screen to Higgins gains 21
This looked like it was blown up but Higgins broke the tackle, then it looked like a near touchdown.
1st & 10
11 shotgun vs 4-3
RPO give to Dixon gains 32
Difficult to say after a 30+ yard run, but you see here just how great the drop off is between Etienne and Dixon. Lateral dancing, high pads, lack of top end speed. One decisive cut could've been a TD.
1st & 10
11 shotgun vs 4-3
RPO out to Overton vs cover 3 blitz, Overton eludes 2 defenders and scores.
The first of three Overton TDs on the night, much deserved for a player who might've transferred after being outrecruited. No moves, just making BC look foolish for poor angles.
BC ball, 4:43, BC 25, 17-0 Clemson lead
Down & Distance
Formation
Play
Analysis
Down & Distance
Formation
Play
Analysis
1st & 10
13 ace vs 4-3
PA, TE seam complete over Simmons in man cover 1, gain of 30
Muse was occupied by the deep cross and Simmons was simply beaten by a great throw.
1st & 10
12 ace vs 4-3
Iso to Dillon gains 1
Jordan Williams stood up the BC front.
2nd & 9
13 shotgun vs 4-3
Brosel tucks against cover 4 and gains 4
Kendrick busted, played cover 2 and passed the deep go off to a safety sitting inside on cover 4. Lucky Brosel missed it.
3rd & 5
13 ace vs 4-3
Smash to Dillon gains 4
Wallace filled again and received more punishment than delivered, but again made the sure tackle.
4th & 1
23 I form vs 4-3
Power to Dillon gains 2
Not sure if Venables thought we could stop a 250 pounder in goal line with our base defense, probably wanted to test the situation.
1st & 10
12 ace vs 4-3
PA to the TE in the flat gains 9
Another bust, Kendrick ran upfield and vacated the flat; Muse and Wallace were in the same middle zone at the snap.
2nd & 1
12 ace vs 4-3
Power stuffed for no gain
Kendrick made first contact off the edge before Foster turned the runner away.
3rd & 1
12 ace vs 4-3
QB sneak gains 2
No one over the nose.
1st & 10
12 shotgun vs 4-3
PA vs cover 3 corner blitz, Brosel turns right into Terrell and barely gets the pass off, pick dropped.
The perfect corner blitz; a fake screen away from it and the QB turns his back to the blitz and finds it in his face before he can do a thing.
2nd & 10
22 shotgun vs 4-3
Stretch handoff gains 5
Rudolph was blocked off the edge and Kendrick was pushed 10 yards back outside, everyone else was chasing from behind.
3rd & 5
11 shotgun vs 4-3
Counter handoff gains 2
Skalski was the only man unblocked and met Dillon like the load he is...and still needed help to make the tackle.
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