CLEMSON – With just over five minutes to play in the first quarter at Memorial Stadium, running back Chris Johnson Jr. scored his first touchdown in a Clemson uniform to extend the Tigers’ lead 10-0 over Charleston Southern.

The newcomer’s score came on a six-yard run to cap off a 68 yard, 3:29-minute drive by the Tigers. It marked only Clemson’s second first quarter touchdown this season and the first with quarterback Tait Reynolds in the game.

After taking a 3-0 lead, the Tigers’ defense got a stop and Reynolds and the offense took over from the Buccaneers’ 23-yard line. 

Clemson got it up the field with a short run from running back Gideon Davidson, an 11-yard rush from wide receiver Juju Preston and two respective 10-yard passes to Bryant Wesco Jr. A pass interference call put the Tigers in the redzone, and with 1st-and-goal, Johnson punched it in using a juking move to fool Charleston Southern defenders. 

The score marked Clemson’s sixth touchdown in the redzone this season. 

Johnson actually had scored before in Memorial Stadium, but it came when he was wearing an SMU jersey last season.