Clemson, SC- The Tigers are not letting all the Alabama chatter and talks about meeting up again for the National Championship have them loose focus on the remainder of the season.
Clemson scored points in bunches and totally dominated the Eagles to the tune of 59-7 at Memorial Stadium in front of packed house.
The Tigers are 8-0 for the eighth time in school history and the fourth time in the last five seasons including 6-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference as they move ever closer to a fifth consecutive Atlantic Division title and ACC Championship.
“I feel like we ran into a buzz saw,” Addazio said. “That’s one of the top, elite teams in America, so whatever anybody else was saying, I don’t know what they’re talking about. That’s my opinion.”
Tigers’ quarterback Trevor Lawrence opened the game 9-for-9 for 139 yards to seven different receivers prior to his first incompletion in the second quarter.
Clemson has won 23 consecutive games – the nation’s longest active winning streak – and 20 consecutive games at Memorial Stadium.
The Tigers scored on all six of their first-half possessions to build a 38-7 halftime lead. Clemson amassed 394 yards and averaged 9.6 yards per play in the first half.
“The offense set the tone tonight,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “We had a fast and efficient offense and I thought the guys had a great mindset tonight.”
In the game span, Lawrence completed 16 of 19 passes for 275 yards and a trio of touchdowns –19 yards to Amari Rodgers and 85 yards total to Diondre Overton.
Overton had a very productive game with a 23-yard touchdown pass from back-up quarterback Chase Brice, giving him three receptions for a career-high 119 yards. He tied a school record with three receiving touchdowns in a game.
Superman Overton was presented with the Leather Helmet Award, which is presented annually to the most valuable player of the Clemson-Boston College game.
“It was awesome,” Lawrence said of Overton’s performance. “That’s a guy that goes to work every day. This is his fourth year, and maybe he hasn’t gotten as much attention and as many catches and stats as some of the other guys.
Junior running back Travis Etienne rushed for 109 yards and three touchdowns on 16 attempts, notching his fourth 100-yard game of the season and the 13th of his career.
Etienne has now rushed for 100 yards in three consecutive games for the first time this season and last season since the South Carolina, Pitt and Notre Dame matchups.
Etienne also recorded his 13th career 100-yard rushing game to pass Andre Ellington and C.J. Spiller (12 each) for sole possession of fourth on Clemson’s all-time leaderboard for career 100-yard rushing games. He is now four games shy of Wayne Gallman’s school career record of 17 from 2014-16.
The Tigers finished with 674 yards, a season high, and their third game with at least 600 yards this season.
The Tigers’ defense was dominant limiting the Eagles to 177 total yards. This was the same Eagles offense that rushed for 429 yards in a win against N.C. State last week managing only 97 yards on 44 rushes – an average of 2.2 yards per play – and ACC rushing leader A.J. Dillon had 76 yards on 19 carries.
Eagles quarterback Dennis Grosel struggled against the Tigers swarming defense and was on the run all night completing just 3 of 14 passes for 53 yards.
The Eagles’ (4-4, 2-3) 177 total yards marked the eighth time in eight games this season that the Tigers have held their opponent to 300 yards or less.
“I’m proud of our guys,” Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. “They’re staying hungry and humble, which is leading to these results.”
The Tigers defense had eight tackles for loss, including two sacks, and defensive end Logan Rudolph scored his first career touchdown by scooping up a fumble caused by linebacker Chad Smith and rambling 39 yards for a score early in the third quarter.
Prior to the game, Clemson inducted former linebacker Levon Kirkland into the Clemson Ring of Honor. Kirkland was a two-time All-American and three-time first-team All-ACC selection as an outside linebacker between 1988-91.
Clemson has now won 76 straight games when holding teams under 23 points (dates to 2010 and counting).
