On the opening weekend of November, the Clemson Tigers find themselves trailing 17-7 to the Louisville Cardinals. The Tigers have struggled to create and maintain momentum in a highly anticipated matchup. Below are some insights on Clemson’s performance on both sides of the ball.
Offense:
Clemson’s offense has shown great and questionable signs through two quarters. They currently have 169 total yards, with 92 yards on the ground and 87 yards through the air, in a competitive matchup against Louisville.
The Tigers struggled offensively at the start of the game, with their first two drives resulting in three and outs. It seemed like Garret Riley was calling a relatively conservative game.
TJ Moore was the first offensive player to provide a spark during the primetime matchup. On the Tiger’s first scoring drive, he had a 26-yard reception on a slant against man coverage for the first explosive offensive play. He hauled in another catch, where he found a soft spot against Louisville’s zone coverage, to put the Tigers within striking distance. Klubnik found Antonio Willaims on a stick route to score the night’s first touchdown.
After Louisville’s first touchdown drive, the Tigers tried to assemble a scoring drive. It started promising with a 24-yard run by Phil Mafah, but that did not amount to much. The Tigers were able to get into field goal range, but the kicking unit’s struggles continued. Louisville was able to block the kick and start their offensive drive in Clemson territory with roughly 1:30 remaining in the half.
Defense:
Clemson’s defense could have been better throughout the first half. Louisville has 228 total yards, allowing 133 rushing yards and 95 passing yards.
Louisville started dicing up Clemson’s defense on their opening drive. Their quarterback and receiver tandem with Tyler Shough and Ja’Corey Brooks was thriving. After getting into Clemson territory, the Tiger’s defense was able to hold firm and ultimately forced a crucial missed field goal.
On the following offensive drive for the Cardinals, they found themselves deep in the red zone after a jet sweep trick play. Clemson didn’t let them gain any momentum off the big play and made them settle for three points again.
Regarding individual performances, cornerback Jeadyn Lukus and linebacker Wade Woodaz have been causing problems for Louisville’s offense. Lukus is responsible for six tackles, including one tackle for loss. He has also been holding his own in coverage with a pass breakup. Woodaz also performed another outstanding performance, with six tackles through the first half.
After Clemson’s blocked field goal attempt, the defensive unit got put into the wrong spot near the end of the first half. The Cardinals started their drive already in Tiger territory and were able to capitalize, scoring a touchdown to take a 17-7 lead going into the half. They have balanced the rushing and passing attack well, keeping the Tiger’s defense on their toes.