No. 5 Clemson overcame four turnovers and a quarterback change to survive a thwarted bid from Syracuse No. 14 in a 27-21 comeback that was more than just an addition to the win column for the Tigers. The win marked Clemson’s 38th consecutive victory in Death Valley, breaking the record for longest home winning streak in ACC history previously held by Bobby Bowden’s Florida State program in a 1995 run to 2001.
Although Clemson has had a few upset scares along the way — including another against Syracuse in 2018 — the Tigers haven’t lost at home since 2016.
Beyond Clemson’s historic win came a tough time for coach Dabo Swinney, who opted to bench starting quarterback DJ Uiagalelei for true freshman Cade Klubnik. Uiagalelei had accounted for three of Clemson’s four turnovers (two interceptions and a lost fumble returned 90 yards for a touchdown at Syracuse) before being replaced by Klubnik, the former five-star prospect from Austin, Texas, late in the third quarter.
Klubnik didn’t get a heavy workload, completing just 2 of 4 pass attempts for 19 yards, but he completed a pass from behind the end zone on a 2-point conversion and was instrumental in the running game as Clemson outscored visiting Orange 17-0 in the fourth quarter. Running back Will Shipley’s 50-yard breakaway score was a turning point in the game and part of a terrific offensive performance as the Clemons star carried 27 times for 172 yards and two touchdowns, including the fourth quarter go-ahead score.
The Tigers’ defense played the most important role in helping to keep the team’s college football playoff hopes alive; he limited the Orange to just two offensive touchdowns in the first half, held it scoreless in the second half, and landed a decisive interception late in the fourth quarter.
That’s not to say Syracuse coach Dino Babers and offensive coordinator Robert Anae weren’t successful in the game. QB Garrett Shrader’s dual-threat ability and running back Sean Tucker’s explosiveness kept Clemson’s defense on their heels throughout the first half.
Despite Clemson’s defensive dominance and Syracuse’s savvy as a two-touchdown road underdog, no story from this game is more significant than what Swinney and the offensive staff will decide to do at quarterback- back.
Here’s what you need to know about Clemson’s plans at quarterback and more on the Tigers’ thrilling win:
Dabo says DJ is ‘our guy’ at QB
Although Uiagalelei was benched and Clemson has a recent history of five-star freshmen outpacing starting starters at quarterback, Swinney appears to be keen on promoting Klubnik as a change in time. partiel.
“Sometimes, you know, Steph Curry goes 2 for 25. Your best player can have a bad day sometimes,” Swinney told ESPN after the game. “He just got out of rhythm, made a few bad plays. We just needed a change. We showed them we have this guy who can come in. DJ is our quarterback. There’s no doubt He’s our guy He’s our You can write this right now: DJ is our guy He needs to play better, and he will, but what about Cade coming in and directing these guys ?”
The timing of this moment couldn’t have worked better for Clemson. The Tigers don’t have to turn around and send Uiagalelei back into action with Klubnik now primed and somewhat tested in competitive minutes. Clemson is out next week and won’t be back until a trip to play Notre Dame in South Bend on November 5.
Although the Fighting Irish aren’t the top five teams many predicted for the season, they have a formidable defense that will likely take notes from Syracuse’s game plan to try and have similar success against Uiagalelei. If the turnover issues persist, and if it wasn’t just a “Steph Curry night out,” then Clemson also has the extra week to come up with a game plan featuring Klubnik. Regardless, the time off will allow any potential quarterback controversies to simmer and Uiagalelei to reset after his worst performance of the year.
Clemson’s pass rush won the game
Although the game was officially won by an interception, the entire second half was won by Clemson’s defensive front absolutely feasting on the line of scrimmage. The Tigers finished with five sacks, nine tackles for loss and drew several holding penalties that forced Syracuse into third-and-long situations. As the game progressed, the elite players up front simply wore down the Syracuse offensive line. Tyler Davis finished with two sacks, Bryan Bresee and KJ Henry recorded one sack each, and Myles Murphy was all over the place despite only officially recording 0.5 sacks.
The best Clemson teams of the Swinney era had top quarterback play, but they were also complemented by defensive lines capable of picking up the slack late in games. That’s what we saw in the second half Saturday against Syracuse, and it’ll likely be a theme as the Tigers try to maintain that undefeated status until another college football playoff appearance.
New Year’s Six still in play for Syracuse
Losing an ACC game, especially to Clemson, might have bounced Syracuse from ACC Atlantic contention. The Tigers would have to drop their last two conference games (Louisville and Miami, both at home) for the Orange to travel to Charlotte to compete for the conference championship.
What’s still on the table, however, is Babers’ chance to lead Syracuse to a top-notch bowling game, especially with a crucial head-to-head against Wake Forest still on the schedule. The Demon Daecons, who currently have just one loss and are ranked in the top 15 of the AP Top 25, will be a potential candidate to make a New Year Six game if Clemson makes the CFP. If the Orange can defeat the Demon Deacons on Nov. 19 and maintain their status at one loss to a roster of Notre Dame, Pitt, Florida State and Boston College, then they have a shot at winning their biggest bowl game since 1999 Orange Bowl.
