The final numbers are in.
Clemson’s identity over the course of the 2021 season was a defensive-oriented team that needed to do just enough on offense. The Tigers stayed true to form in their Cheez-It Bowl win.
Clemson finished with 315 yards and found the end zone just once, but the Tigers also got two field goals from B.T. Potter and some help from the defense to end their season with a 20-13 win last week. Clemson suffocated one of the Big 12’s top offenses to the tune of 270 total yards and used Mario Goodrich’s pick-six to notch its 10th and final win of the season.
While the offense actually improved in one specific area from last season, the unit largely took a step back in the first season of the post-Trevor Lawrence era. Exactly how big of a step was it?
With just one game left in this college football season, here’s how Clemson’s offense finished out of 130 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in major statistical categories compared to last season. Numbers in parentheses indicate the Tigers’ national ranking for that category.
Scoring
2021: 26.3 points per game (82)
2020: 43.5 (t-3)
Total yards
2021: 359.2 per game (100)
2020: 502.3 (10)
Rushing yards
2021: 168 per game (58)
2020: 153.8 (75)
Passing yards
2021: 191.2 per game (103)
2020: 348.5 (6)
First downs
2021: 261 (t-71)
2020: 295 (5)
3rd-down conversions
2021: 37.1% (87)
2020: 46.4% (23)
4th-down conversions
2021: 56.2% (53)
2020: 66.7% (t-20)
Red-zone efficiency
2021: 80.4% (90)
2020: 86.9% (38)
Time of possession
2021: 29:25 per game (79)
2020: 30:27 (56)
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