Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei helped lead the Tigers to a 31-3 win at Boston College on Saturday night, throwing for 220 yards and three touchdowns while pacing the Tigers in rushing for a second consecutive game with 69 yards on 12 carries.
On ESPN’s College Football Final, host Matt Barrie and analysts Joey Galloway and Jesse Palmer weighed in on Uiagalelei and his performance against the Eagles.
The junior signal-caller hit three different receivers on the scores.
“He’s got some receivers that are starting to win one-on-one now,” Palmer said, “and they’re making plays for their quarterback.”
With Clemson up 10-3 coming out of halftime, the Tigers came up with a quick stop and then Uiagalelei led his offense 73 yards on five plays, hitting Joseph Ngata in stride for a 38-yard score with 11:50 to play in the third quarter.
“For every head-scratcher DJ does, then he throws a dart like this to Ngata,” Barrie said.
“He looks great at times like he did on this throw, and then at times, you wonder what is he thinking?” Galloway added.
Clemson (6-0, 4-0 ACC) extended its lead on the first play of the fourth quarter, as Uiagalelei found Beaux Collins alone in the end zone on third-and-8 from the 10-yard line.
Another highlight for Collins – Uiagalelei’s high school teammate at California prep powerhouse St. John Bosco – was his reception from Uiagalelei early in the third quarter that preceded Ngata’s touchdown catch one play later.
“Tremendous chemistry with his high school teammate against double coverage,” Palmer said of the Uiagalelei-Collins 21-yard connection.
Uiagalelei later hit Brannon Spector for a 13-yard touchdown with 4:22 left in the game, his third touchdown pass of the day to his third different receiver.
“He had a chance to stand in the pocket,” Galloway said. “If you give him that kind of time, he’s going to find somebody.”
Uiagalelei finished 18-of-32 passing with the three touchdowns and one interception. The pick on his eighth pass attempt of the game ended a streak of having thrown 110 consecutive passes without an interception.
“I mean we’ll sit there and watch games, and we’re like guys, what is he looking at?” Barrie said, alluding to Uiagalelei’s decision-making on some throws. “But then he finds a way to get in rhythm.”
In six games this season, Uiagalelei has completed 64.2 percent of his passes for 1,462 yards and 14 passing touchdowns with two interceptions, to go with 311 rushing yards and three rushing scores on 67 carries (4.6 yards per carry).
Uiagalelei and the Tigers will return to action this Saturday at Florida State (4-2, 2-2 ACC). Kickoff at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee is set for 7:30 p.m. on ABC.
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