CLEMSON — The 17th-ranked Clemson Tigers held the Stanford Cardinal to two scores in Saturday’s 40-14 victory thanks to lockdown red zone defense and a shower of forced turnovers.

The best defensive performance of Clemson’s young season did not come easy, though. The Cardinal made quick advancements past midfield and deep into Clemson territory twice in the first quarter.  

On the first drive, the Tigers gave up a breakaway 24-yard run from Stanford running back Micah Ford. Two plays later, quarterback Ashton Daniels lobbed a 25-yard bomb to place Stanford’s offense seven yards away from their first potential touchdown of the day.

However, defensive back Avieon Terrell had other plans for the end of the possession. The sophomore leaped above Daniels’ goal-line target and picked off the pass, forcing the first Cardinal turnover of the game in the end zone. 

One defensive possession later, the Tigers’ defense allowed Stanford within 10 yards of their end zone again, giving up two 21-yard runs from Daniels and Ford. With the Cardinal in a first-and-goal situation, junior Jeadyn Lukus flattened another scoring attempt with a sure-footed interception on the seven-yard line. 

The reeling Cardinal offense was forced to punt on its next three opportunities.

After picking up their first (and only) touchdown at the end of the first half, things looked hopeful for the Cardinal coming out of halftime. The Tigers were only up two scores up and Stanford was once again past midfield courtesy of a pass interference call against Clemson and a 34-yard rush from Daniels. 

Daniels led his offense to Clemson’s 15-yard line but failed to progress past a barricade of Clemson defenders on the 10-yard line.

Linebacker Sammy Brown sealed the deal with a sack on fourth down.

Cade Klubnik and his offensive company took the ball from Brown and into the end zone in three consecutive possessions.

The Tigers did not let Stanford back into their territory until the last three minutes of the fourth quarter.

Clemson’s next-play mentality allowed the offense to play with a lead at every point in the game.