Caitlyn Tai
Syracuse is dominating Clemson on the time of possession, and the Tigers’ inability to extend drives in the first half isn't helping.
The Clemson Tigers are down by a score of 24-14 to the Syracuse Orange at Memorial Stadium. Below is an analysis from both sides of the ball.
Offense:
— The Tigers cashed in on an opening drive score. Including a fourth down that included a jumbo package involving Peter Woods, quarterback Cade Klubnik would hit receiver Bryant Wesco Jr. for a 38-yard score.
— Klubnik hit running back Adam Randall with under two minutes to go to score Clemson’s second touchdown of the half. The senior quarterback has thrown for 152 yards and two touchdowns in the opening 30 minutes.
— Syracuse is dominating Clemson on the time of possession, and the Tigers’ inability to extend drives in the first half didn’t help. The Tigers punted twice on four possessions, with both sequences taking only two minutes off the clock each.
— Wide receivers for the Tigers are seeing plenty of production. Sophomores T.J. Moore and Wesco each have over 50 receiving yards in the contest while Antonio Williams, who returned from injury today, has three receptions for 28 yards.
— Randall has been the team’s catalyst on offense. The senior tailback recorded eight rushes for 85 yards, including a 39-yard rush in the dying seconds of the half to put the Tigers across midfield. Clemson was unable to capitalize.
Defense:
— The Tigers had no answer in the first half to Syracuse’s offensive explosion, led by performances from running back Yasin Willis and quarterback Steve Angeli and tallying 180 passing yards and 124 yards on the ground as a team.
— The opening drive displayed an excited Syracuse offense making easy work of a lethargic Clemson defense, which didn’t complete its first defensive stop until five minutes left in the half.
— On the Orange’s inaugural drive, Willis got his team into Tiger territory, shaking a tackle from Clemson’s T.J. Parker on a 32-yard run. Justus Ross-Simmons secured the first points of the game with a leaping grab over Ashton Hampton on a fade route, deflating a shocked Memorial Stadium.
— A surprise onside kick gave Syracuse another chance to show off its offense. After converting a fourth down at midfield on a catch from Johntay Cook, the Clemson defense held strong on the goal line, keeping the Orange to a field goal.
— The Syracuse rushing attack silenced a Clemson crowd, excited after a Wesco touchdown catch. Running back Will Nixon capped off a 75-yard drive, walking into the endzone on a 9-yard run and extending the Syracuse lead to 17-7.
— An 80-yard drive aided by two roughing the passer calls gave Syracuse another touchdown, closed out by a 20-yard strike from Angeli to the corner of the endzone right in front of the Clemson student section for the Orange’s fourth consecutive score.