Will Shipley’s highlight-reel 25-yard touchdown run during 10th-ranked Clemson’s 31-16 win over Louisville on Saturday at Death Valley came in at No. 4 in the top plays on ESPN’s College Football Final show.
The sophomore running back hurdled a defender at the 10-yard line, and then sliced through two other defenders after he landed on his way to the end zone, giving the Tigers a 24-7 lead less than five minutes into the third quarter.
“Split it! Right through the blaster, touchdown,” ESPN analyst and former Florida and Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen said on College Football Final.
Clemson (9-1, 7-0 ACC) went on to finish off the win, improving to 8-0 all-time against the Cardinals and clinching the ACC Atlantic Division outright with the victory.
Louisville (6-4, 3-4) had only 88 rushing yards through three quarters but finished with 150 on the ground for the game.
One of Louisville’s two touchdowns in the game came on a Tiyon Evans run that got the Cardinals on the scoreboard with 14:17 left in the first half, making the score 10-7.
“You don’t see Clemson’s defense give up this kind of big running yards like they did against Louisville,” ESPN analyst Joey Galloway said, “but Louisville stayed in it with the run game.”
Before the end of the first half, DJ Uiagalelei led Clemson 80 yards in a drive that ate up 3:57 of game time. A 4-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Williams put Clemson up 17-7 at the half.
Clemson’s starting quarterback also ran for a 11-yard score on the Tigers’ opening possession and finished with 223 total yards and two touchdowns. Uiagalelei went 19-of-27 passing for 185 yards, adding 32 yards on 15 carries.
“They tried to play in his comfort zone, letting him run the ball some and take some pressure off him,” Mullen said of Uiagalelei.
After its final two home games against Miami and South Carolina, Clemson will head to Charlotte for a matchup with North Carolina in the ACC Championship Game on Dec. 3 (8 p.m., ABC).
Both teams are currently 9-1 and undefeated in conference play. The Tigers are averaging 34.2 points per game and allowing 21 points per game, while the Tar Heels are scoring 40.1 points per game on average and yielding 31.3 points per game to their opponents.
Both Galloway and Mullen gave some early thoughts on the ACC title game.
“Carolina is going to score a lot of points and also give up a lot of points,” Galloway said. “It’s going to be a fun game to watch.”
“I agree. I think it should be a lot of fun,” Mullen added. “But North Carolina seems to have this way about them to win all of these games right at the end, somehow, someway.”
Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.
Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!
