By Will Vandervort
CLEMSON — There is no doubt No. 9 Clemson wants to be beat archrival and 11th-ranked South Carolina next week. But regardless of what happens in the annual Battle for the Palmetto State, Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd feels the Tigers sent a strong message to the rest of the country this year, especially that four-letter sports network that always likes to poke fun of Clemson.
“I think we matured. I guess we didn’t pull another Clemson,” Boyd said in mocking some of the national media.
No, the 2012 Tigers did not. Thanks to its 62-48 victory over NC State Saturday in Death Valley, Clemson won its seventh straight Atlantic Coast Conference game and its 10th overall. It was the first time the Tigers had won 10 games in the regular season since the 1981 team won all 11 on its schedule on its way to a national championship that year.
It was also the first time since 1983 that a Clemson squad won seven ACC games in a season. But more than anything, the Tigers (10-1, 7-1 ACC) beat who they were supposed to this year. There were no slip ups against lesser opponents, and by the way, the 14-point victory over the Wolfpack (6-5, 3-4) was their seventh straight win by at least 14 or more points.
Clemson is the only school in the country that can claim that feat.
“It is just one of those things where we have matured as a program and we have matured as a team,” Boyd said. “We have learned how to win. We learned how to accept success and failure in a sense. It is one of those deals where a program has stepping stones to become the type of program that is consistent and to become the type of team that you want to be.
“This is one of those steps. This was a big one for us.”
The win also gave Clemson a share of the ACC’s Atlantic Division title, which the ACC presented a trophy to head coach Dabo Swinney after the game. The Tigers have now won at least a share of the Atlantic Division title in three of the last four seasons.
“That division championship is awesome,” Boyd said. “Coach pulled out the trophy. Winning three division championships in four years, I think you are leaving your legacy. That’s one of those deals where we are excited about that.”
Good class. Clemson’s senior class has 23 regular season ACC victories, the most by a senior class at Clemson. The previous record was 22.
Record-setter, again. DeAndre Hopkins passed Aaron Kelly to become the career receiving yards leader when he hauled in a 62-yard touchdown pass from Boyd in the second quarter. He finished the game with two receptions for 75 yards to give him 2,786 receiving yards for his career. Hopkins uncle, the late Terry Smith, became Clemson’s career reception yardage leader in similar fashion on a 73-yard reception for a touchdown against Virginia in 1993. Hopkins has also caught a touchdown pass in eight straight games now. The ACC record for consecutive games with a touchdown reception is nine by Virginia’s Herman Moore in 1990. He will have a chance tie the ACC record next week against South Carolina.
Unbeatable. Clemson tallied 754 yards of total offense – 328 yards rushing and 426 yards passing. Clemson is now 64-0-1 when they record 500 yards of total offense and 62-0-1 when they record at least 200 rushing and 200 passing. This was just the third game in Clemson history in which the Tigers have had at least 300 of each. Two of the three have taken place this year. The other game this year at Duke on Nov.3.
A lot of yards. Clemson has now tallied at least 700 yards of total offense in two games in the same season for the first time in school history and it is just the third 700-yard game in school history.
More points. Clemson’s 62 points were the second-most points in school history against an ACC team. The record is 82 against Wake Forest in 1981. This was the most points Clemson has scored since scoring 70 in a 70-14 win over Central Michigan in 2007.
Another record. Clemson ran 102 plays. That is the most plays in a single game in Clemson history. The previous record was 98 against Maryland in 1992.
Dantzler like. Boyd’s 103 rushing yards marked the first 100-yard rushing game by a Clemson quarterback since Woodrow Dantzler had 135 in his final home game against Duke in 2001. His three rushing touchdowns were a first by a Clemson quarterback since Dantzler had three against Duke in 2000.
Mr. dependable. Dalton Freeman broke the Clemson career record for scrimmage plays. He played all 102 snaps Saturday, giving him 3,208 career snaps heading into his final home game next week. The previous record was 3,131 by Landon Walker from 2009-12. Saturday was his 47th consecutive start at center and his 51st game overall.
Sack Master. Defensive end Vic Beasley recorded a career-high three sacks against the Wolfpack. That is the most since Andre Branch had a school record four sacks against Virginia Tech last season. Beasley now has eight sacks for the season.