Game Day Blog: Clemson 58, Miami 0
By: will-vandervort October 24, 2015

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Clemson beats Miami 58-0 on Saturday at Sun Life Stadium. It matches the largest margin of victory over an ACC opponent in school history, while it was the worst defeat ever in Miami’s history.

Clemson rushed for 416 yards, the 14th best rushing total in school history.

 

 

 

Clemson backup quarterback Kelly Bryant went 59 yards for a touchdown to give Clemson a 51-0 lead.

Bryant’s first career touchdown capped a 4-play, 69-yard drive for the Tigers.

 

Clemson increased its lead to 45-0 with a 30-yard gain field goal on the first possession of the second half for the Tigers. That capped a 12-play, 45-yard scoring drive with 8:46 to play in the third quarter.

 

Prior to the start of Saturday’s game between Clemson and Miami, Hurricane players approached a group of Clemson receivers and tried to intimidate the sixth-ranked Tigers. That was a bad idea.

All that did was make Clemson mad, and the Tigers used it instead as motivation, letting their play do its talking as it rolled to a 42-0 halftime lead.

Cordrea Tankersley’s 36-yard interception return with 34 seconds to play gave Clemson the most points scored in a half against an ACC team since they scored 42 points against Duke in the opening half in 2012.

Tankersley’s touchdown return was the Tigers’ 11th defensive touchdown under defensive coordinator Brent Venables in his four seasons at Clemson.

Clemson had 363 yards in the opening half, including 230 rushing yards. The Tigers had more rushing yards in the first half than in any game this year.

The Clemson defense held Miami to 84 total yards, including just 24 yards passing, plus it knocked out starting quarterback Brad Kaaya from the game with a second quarter sack by Shaq Lawson.

Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson completed 13 of 17 passes for 133 yards and one touchdown, while running back Wayne Gallman had 92 yards rushing and one touchdown. Watson also rushed for 94 yards and scored on a six-yard touchdown run. He also had a 63-yard run on the Tigers’ second possession of the game.

Clemson scored on its first four possessions of the half to take a 28-0 lead. First Watson found tight end Jordan Leggett on a 34-yard throw back pass. Then Wayne Gallman scored on a five-yard run with 6:53 to go in the opening quarter for a 14-0 lead. Watson’s 63-yard run to the 10-yard line set up Gallman’s touchdown.

The Tigers increased their lead to 21-0 on Zac Brooks one-yard run and then 28-0 when Artavis Scott took an option pitch from Watson and went into the end zone from three yards out.

Watson ran in from six yards with 42 seconds to play in the half to cap a 13-play, 84-yard drive. Four of Clemson’s five first-half scoring drives were 82, 84, 85 and 84 yards. The other was a 13-play, 61-yard drive.

 

The sixth-ranked Clemson Tigers came into Miami’s Sun Life Stadium and dominated the opening half of the game.

Cordrea Tankersley’s 36-yard interception with 34 seconds left in the second quarter gave the Tigers a 42-0 halftime lead.

Clemson’s 42 first half points were the most scored in a game by the Tigers since scoring 49 in 1981 against Wake Forest.

 

Clemson takes a 35-0 lead on a 6-yard Deshaun Watson touchdown run. The Tigers used 13 plays to 84 yards, which took 4:05 off the clock.

The touchdown came with 0:42 seconds left in the first half.

It is getting ugly here. Artavis Scott goes in from three yards out as Clemson takes a 28-0 on Miami.

That capped a 13-play, 85-yard drive that took 4:31 off the clock. The Tigers have 282 total yards already. Quarterback Deshaun Watson has completed 12 of 13 passes for 116 yards and one touchdown.

 

Clemson takes a 21-0 lead and has 212 yards of total offense. Running back Zac Brooks went from a yard out with 2:08 to play to cap a 6-play, 61-yard drive. It took 1:52 off the clock.

Clemson outgained Miami 212 to 78 in that first quarter.

 

 

Jadar Johnson intercepts Brad Kaaya’s pass on Miami’s first possession, then Deshaun Watson rumbled 63 yards and Wayne Gallman runs into the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown. Clemson leads 14-0 with 6:63 to play in the first quarter.

The Clemson scoring drive was five plays, 84 yards and took 1:35 off the clock.

 

Clemson takes a 7-0 lead on a 34-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Leggett. Leggett sets a Clemson record for a tight end with five straight games of scoring a TD. Clemson leads 7-0 with 12:18 to go in the first quarter.

The scoring drive was 8 plays, 82 yards and took 2:42 to score.

 

It is almost game time in Miami. Clemson and Miami will kickoff at 12:02 p.m.

The captains for today’s game for Clemson are Mackensie Alexander, Travis Blanks, Artavis Scott and Eric Mac Lain. Clemson will be receiving the ball first.

 

 

Just to let everyone know we were told that Clemson linebacker Martin Aiken did not make the trip to Miami. We were told we are not sure why that was. It could just be job performance.

 

There is a lot of trash talking going on between Clemson and Miami players prior to the game. Here is a look at what Clemson Football tweeted a little earlier.

https://twitter.com/ClemsonFB/status/657939300470816768

 

The Clemson Insider is live at Sun Life Stadium as No. 6 Clemson takes on Miami today at 12:02 p.m. The game will be televised nationally by ABC.

To get the day started, we can tell you Ron Cherry will be today’s referee.

I was just told by Tim Bourret there will be no release or anything sent out on Deon Cain’s playing status or anything like that before the game kicks off.

That tells me Cain is playing or will be available to play.

About Miami: The Hurricanes have won 16 of their last 19 games at home, and are 3-0 at Sun Life Stadium this year, including last week’s 30-20 victory over Virginia Tech. Miami’s plus-13 turnover margin leads the nation. It has lost just two turnovers all season, the second fewest in the FBS.

Miami’ offense: Quarterback Brad Kaaya leads the ACC in passing yards with 1,795 yards. He also leads the ACC in total offense with 1,749 yards. He has thrown just four interceptions in his last 421 attempts. He has thrown just one interception this season. Wide receiver Rashawn Scott ranks second in the ACC in receiving yards per game (74.3) and touchdowns (4). The ‘Canes are averaging 33.7 points and 307.5 passing yards per game. Miami made big changes on the O-Line last week and started three new players at right tackle, right guard and left guard.

Miami’s defense: With linebacker Raphael Kirby out for the season with a torn ACL, the Hurricanes lost their leading tackler and perhaps their best defensive player. Miami is giving up 379.3 yards per game, including 167.3 on the ground. The secondary does lead the ACC with 11 interceptions, but they are also yielding 212 yards per game. The ‘Canes rank 12th in total defense, 11th in passing defense and 11th in rushing defense.

Records: Clemson (6-0, 3-0 ACC); Miami (4-2, 1-1 ACC)

Series record: Miami leads 6-3

Games in Miami: Tied 3-3

First meeting: Miami 7, Clemson 6 in 1945

Last Meeting: Miami 30, Clemson 21 in 2010

Streak: The road team has won four in a row

Last Clemson win: Clemson 40, Miami 37 (OT) at Miami in 2009

Injuries: Clemson – Out: LB Korin Wiggins (knee); WR Mike Williams (neck); C Zach Riggs (knee); DT Jabril Robinson (knee). Probable: C Ryan Norton (knee); DB Ryan Carter (hamstring); DE Austin Bryant (knee). Miami – Out: LB Raphael Kirby (knee); LB Darrion Owens (knee); LB Marques Gayot (neck).

Stat worth noting: Clemson is 9-0 when quarterback Deshaun Watson starts and finishes a game. The Clemson quarterback is 10-1 overall in his 11 career starts, the first quarterback in Clemson history to win 10 of his first 11 starts.

Second stat worth noting: Clemson is the only top 12 team in the AP or Coaches Poll to have a win over a top 12 team. The Tigers beat No. 11 Notre Dame on Oct. 3.

Third stat worth noting: A win over Miami on Saturday would mark the Tigers’ 10th consecutive victory in a row. It will also give Clemson its first 10-game winning streak since the 1983-’84 seasons.