Coming off its upset loss at Notre Dame last week, Clemson needed a bounceback performance from its starting quarterback, DJ Uiagalelei, as well as a much-improved effort from its defense that the Irish ran roughshod over.
The 10th-ranked Tigers got both of those things in a 31-16 victory over Louisville on Saturday at Death Valley, continuing their dominance in the series against the Cardinals.
Uiagalelei accounted for 217 total yards and two touchdowns, while Clemson’s defense held Louisville to just two touchdowns (one on the final play of the game in garbage time) and allowed only 88 rushing yards through three quarters after giving up 263 in total against Notre Dame a week ago. Defensively, the Tigers racked up four sacks and nine tackles for loss.
Clemson (9-1, 7-0 ACC) improved to 8-0 all time against the Cardinals (6-4, 3-4), and in the process, the Tigers won the ACC’s Atlantic Division outright while sporting the orange pants that they wear for championship games, as well as the purple jerseys they wear once every year on their annual Military Appreciation Day.
With the win, Clemson improved its ACC-record home winning streak to 39 straight games and tied Oklahoma’s 39 in a row at home from 2005-2011 for the ninth longest such streak in FBS history.
Louisville star quarterback Malik Cunningham, playing with a bandaged left hand, injured his other (throwing) hand on a 26-yard run on the final play of the first half and did not return. He finished 10-of-13 passing for 75 yards and was replaced by backup Brock Domann, a junior who went 13-of-23 passing for 175 yards in relief of Cunningham.
Clemson’s defense forced a pair of turnovers in the second half, one in the third quarter on a fumble forced by linebacker Jeremiah Trotter that was recovered by safety Jalyn Phillips, and the other in the fourth quarter on an interception by linebacker Barrett Carter.
After rushing for only 90 yards against Notre Dame, Clemson got a bounceback performance from its ground attack as well, as the Tigers racked up 248 rushing yards led by sophomore running backs Phil Mafah (10 carries, 106 yards, one touchdown) and Will Shipley (19 carries, 97 yards, one touchdown).
Shipley’s touchdown was a highlight-reel 25-yarder, which saw him hurdle a defender and break two more tackles on his way to the end zone to finish off Clemson’s eight-play, 85-yard drive on its first possession of the third quarter that extended its lead to 24-7 at the 10:32 mark of the period.
The Tigers bookended the first half with a pair of touchdowns, the first an 11-yard run by Uiagalelei on Clemson’s opening possession and the second a 4-yard touchdown pass from Uiagalelei to freshman receiver Antonio Williams on the Tigers’ final possession of the first half.
Clemson carried a 17-7 lead into the locker room, with Louisville’s lone score coming on a 16-yard touchdown run by Tiyon Evans at the 14:17 mark of the second quarter.
After Clemson took possession late in the fourth quarter following Carter’s interception, true freshman backup quarterback Cade Klubnik took over for Uiagalelei. Klubnik had entered in relief of Uiagalelei in each of the past two games with the Tigers trying to spark a struggling offense, but on Saturday, he came in with Clemson up by 14 points and the game under control.
Klubnik’s drive ended with a lost fumble by Shipley, his second of the game. Uiagalelei also lost a fumble on a day when the Tigers turned the ball over three times but didn’t allow Louisville to score any points off the turnovers thanks to a strong defensive showing.
After Louisville turned the ball over on downs following Shipley’s second fumble, Clemson got the ball back and Mafah and made the score 31-10 on a 39-yard touchdown run with 2:13 remaining.
Braden Smith caught a 31-yard touchdown pass from Domann on the final play of the game to provide the final score.
After snapping Louisville’s four-game winning streak, the Tigers will return to Death Valley for next Saturday’s game against Miami.
Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.
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