CLEMSON – The Clemson Tigers came out slow on a breezy day in Death Valley against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. With a chance to get even in the ACC, Clemson felt the impact of the wind and slept through the first quarter.

Things cleaned up for the Tigers in the second quarter, and that’s why they hold a 7-3 lead at halftime. Here’s the halftime observations from Clemson’s return to messy first halves.

-The Tigers offense was sleepwalking in the first quarter. Over the first eight plays, Garrett Riley’s unit gained 13 yards and had a turnover on a RPO blunder between quarterback Cade Klubnik and running back Will Shipley. That’s not the first time it’s happened with that pair either.

-Good news for Clemson is that fumble resulted in no drawn blood because the defense stifled Wake Forest on fourth-and-goal. It was a gutsy decision by the Demon Deacons, and Wes Goodwin’s unit played stingy and kept it a 0-0 game early.

-What a windy first half in Death Valley and it influenced both teams. Clemson ended up going for it on fourth down in the second quarter in field goal range, and that drive resulted in a touchdown. That score was a zone read for Klubnik, something we’ve been waiting to see given his mobility. 16 plays, 75 yards and a go-ahead touchdown was a breath, or in this case, gust of fresh air.

-It’s been a physical showing for defensive end Justin Mascoll over the last couple weeks. On a play that was initially ruled a scoop-and-score, he flipped Demond Claiborne. Two snaps later, he made a tackle with only his right arm. He’s playing some of his best football, and a lot of it is effort. Bravo.

-Wide receiver Antonio Williams and cornerback Nate Wiggins were game-time decisions, and they didn’t take the field in the first half. Neither had their helmets on the sideline and it feels precautionary for both, especially given the bye week approaching

-Safety Jalyn Phillips went down with an arm injury in the first quarter. In his absence, nickel back Andrew Mukuba dropped back to the safety position across from R.J. Mickens. That’s a team captain and very important eyes absent from this defense, and he wasn’t on the sideline after the injury occurred.

-Clemson’s defense is responding right at perfect times. With Wake Forest driving into Tigers territory early in the second quarter, freshman safety Khalil Barnes forced a fumble for R.J. Mickens to recover. Later in the period, wide receiver Tyler Brown muffed a punt and set up the Deacons deep in Clemson’s half. Yet again, the defense forced an empty drive or it would be a deficit heading into the break.