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Dabo Swinney did not need to stroll away from this one citing analytics or metrics which can be regular indicators of a successful staff.
The one indicator vital was the scoreboard.
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The enjoyable just isn’t within the hypothesizing, as Syracuse might attest Saturday after turning it over, dropping interceptions and committing a bunch of penalties.
The enjoyable is within the successful, and Clemson flies house right now feeling good about itself at 3-2 after a 31-14 victory over the Orange.
Florida State and Duke made the Tigers pay dearly for turnovers, and this time Clemson capitalized on Syracuse’s miscues with three touchdowns off three Orange giveaways.
Syracuse has given Dabo Swinney’s staff absolute matches through the years despite the fact that Clemson’s solely loss to the Orange beneath Swinney got here six years in the past.
However the Tigers backed up the optimistic developments that got here even in a bitter time beyond regulation defeat to Florida State, as Cade Klubnik’s playmaking and the protection traveled.
Clemson acquired its first ACC victory of the season on Sept. 30. That is an extended wait.
But when Klubnik and the protection proceed the extent of play proven the previous two weeks, there will probably be extra wins coming.
Klubnik was wonderful on third down, utilizing his legs to increase performs and hearth correct passes downfield. He completed with 263 yards passing and tossed two touchdowns on a 23-of-37 clip, with seven completions of 15-plus yards.
With prime playmaker Antonio Williams out to harm for a second consecutive sport, freshman Tyler Brown continued to make the case that he might problem Williams for top-playmaker standing.
With Syracuse selecting to load as much as cease the run, Brown feasted in man protection and on scramble routes with eight catches for 151 yards together with an extended of 47. Troy Stellato had 5 catches for 39 yards as Clemson completed 7-of-15 on third downs and averaged 11.4 yards per completion.
The protection set the tone early, with Justin Mascoll forcing a Garrett Shrader fumble on the fourth play from scrimmage. The Tigers harassed Shrader for a lot of the day and held Syracuse to 286 yards, 14 first downs and a 9-of-17 clip on third downs.
Clemson racked up 5 sacks and restricted Shrader to 24 yards dashing on 15 carries. Shrader had rushed for 195 yards on 25 carries in Syracuse’s convincing win at Purdue two weeks in the past, and final 12 months in Dying Valley he ran wild within the first half as Syracuse took a two-touchdown lead.
TJ Parker had two sacks, each of them early, as Clemson took a 14-0 lead off the Shrader fumble and one other obtrusive miscue from the quarterback: an errant throw on a swing go that LeQuint Allen could not deal with.
The ball went bounding to the turf and Xavier Thomas scooped it up, dashing 20 yards to the Syracuse 3 to arrange a landing run by Will Shipley.
The Orange dedicated 9 penalties for 92 yards, together with a number of for go interference.
Clemson took a 21-7 lead into halftime after a 47-yard strike from Klubnik to Beaux Collins with 2:23 left within the first half.
The Tigers added to the lead with a 38-yard area purpose by Jonathan Weitz, however a fumble by Jake Briningstool allowed Syracuse to get again in it at 24-14 early within the fourth.
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The JMA Wi-fi Dome got here to life and Syracuse was on the verge of a cease with Clemson having to burn a timeout to determine a third-and-12 from its personal 23.
That is when Klubnik cemented his imprint on this sport, breaking from the pocket and operating proper earlier than firing a strike to Brown on the sideline for 19 yards.
Clemson ended up punting on that possession, however Aidan Swanson pinned Syracuse inside its 10-yard line. Three performs later, Jeremiah Trotter leaped to choose off a Shrader go over the center and provides the offense the ball again on the Orange 32-yard line.
Phil Mafah discovered the open area on the subsequent play and reached the tip zone on a 32-yard scoring run that principally ended it.
Clemson now returns house for a gathering with Wake Forest hoping to construct on the nice vibes and enjoyable you could’t get from a stat sheet.
One of these enjoyable can come solely from successful.
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