Game Day Blog: Clemson 33, Wake Forest 13 Final
By: will-vandervort November 21, 2015

Clemson wins 33-13 to improve to 11-0 for the first time since 1981. It was also the Tigers 14th straight win overall–the nation’s longest active streak.

Clemson has won 20 of its last 21 games dating back to last year. The Tigers also earned the program its 700th all-time win.

For the seniors, it was their 43rd win in their career — a Clemson record. The eleven wins mark the third time in the last three years Clemson has won at least 11 games. They won 11 games in 2012 and 2013.

 

 

 

Greg Huegel made a 36-yard field goal with 46 seconds to play in the third quarter to extend the lead with 33-7. Huegel has now made all 17 of his field goals in ACC play and has made 15 straight overall, dating back to the fourth quarter of the Notre Dame game.

 

We have been told that Clemson linebacker Ben Boulware will not return. He left the game in the first quarter with a left arm injury.

 

If it was not for two bad throws, Deshaun Watson would have had an excellent first half. Instead he will have to settle for an okay performance.

The sophomore completed 14 of 20 passes for 245 yards, while throwing three touchdowns as Clemson led 30-7 at the break. Kicker Greg Huegel connected on a 40-yard field goal as time expired to give the top-ranked Tigers their 23-point halftime advantage.

Watson completed touchdown passes of 44, 11 and 47 yards to Charone Peake, Deon Cain and Germone Hopper, while also running for a score. But he also threw two interceptions, the last setting up Wake’s lone score of the half – an 8-yard touchdown run by Kendall Hinton.

Clemson finished the first half with 318 total yards, while holding the Demon Deacons to a 86 yards.

The Tigers took a 7-0 lead on their first possession when Watson took it into end zone from three yards out. The key play of that drive was a 34-yard Deon Cain to Hunter Renfrow pass on a trick play.

Clemson went up 14-0 with 5:26 to play in the first quarter when Watson hit Peake in the end zone for a 44-yard score. That touchdown followed a Wake Forest fumble.

The Tigers increased the lead to 20-0 with 44 seconds to play in the first, as Watson hit Cain with a bullet for an 11-touchdown pass.

Following Hinton’s touchdown with 5:26 to play in the second quarter, Watson found Hopper down the far sideline for a 47-yard touchdown pass with 2:12 to play in the half.

Hopper led all Clemson receivers with 110 yards on two catches. He had a 63-yard reception in the first quarter which set up Cain’s 11-yard touchdown.

 

 

Deshaun Watson bounced back to throw a 47-yard touchdown pass to Germone Hopper, extending Clemson’s lead to 27-7 with 2:12 to play in the opening half. The drive covered 74 yards in seven plays.

Watson is now 11-16 for 211 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

 

After starting off the game with eight completions in first 11 attempts, two for touchdowns, Deshaun Watson three consecutive interceptions late in the half, the second turned into an 8-yard touchdown run by Wake running back Kendall Hinton.

That cut the score to 20-7 with 5:26 to play in the half.

 

Watch Clemson offensive lineman Daniel Stone propose to his girlfriend. You can watch it here.

 

Clemson leads 20-0 at the end of the first quarter.

Deshaun Watson throws an 11-yard touchdown pass to Deon Cain to give Clemson a 20-0 lead with 44 seconds to play in the first quarter.

 

Ben Boulware blows up a reverse play by on Wake’s third possession, giving the Tigers the ball at the 47-yard line. It took just two plays to cash in as Deshaun Watson found Charone Peake in the end zone for a 44-yard touchdown.

 

Clemson opened the game by getting a three-and-out on defense and then Deshaun Watson led the Tigers on on 7-play, 63-yard drive, which he capped with a three-yard touchdown run with 10:10 left in the first quarter.

The key play on the drive was a 34-yard pass from Deon Cain to Hunter Renfrow.

 

The top-ranked Clemson Tigers will host Wake Forest at 3:30 p.m. on today at Death Valley. The game will be televised on ESPN2. It is also Military Appreciation Day and Senior Day for the 20 seniors, who with a win can leave Clemson as the winningest senior class in the program’s history.

On this day in Clemson football history: With a win today, Clemson can improve to 11-0 for the third time in history and for the first time in 34 years. It was on this day (Nov. 21) in 1981 that the Tigers improved to 11-0 with a 29-13 victory over archrival South Carolina in Columbia. Clemson was No. 2 in the country coming into the game and was rewarded an invitation to the 1982 Orange Bowl after the victory. In the closing moments of the game, Clemson fans started throwing oranges on the field to celebrate. The Monday after Thanksgiving weekend, Clemson moved to No. 1 in the Associated Press and Coaches Polls, and later clinched the outright national championship with a 22-15 win over Nebraska in the Orange Bowl on January 1, 1982.

Clemson vs. Wake Forest series

Records: Clemson (10-0, 7-0 ACC); Wake Forest (3-7, 1-5 ACC)

Series record: Clemson leads the series 62-17-1

Games in Clemson: Clemson leads 36-7

First meeting: Clemson 13, Wake Forest 0 in 1933

Last Meeting: Clemson 34, Wake Forest 20 in 2014

Last Wake Forest win: 2008, 12-7

Streak: Clemson has won six straight in the series

Injuries: Clemson – Out: LB Korrin Wiggins (knee); WR Mike Williams (neck); WR Ray Ray McCloud (knee); OG Tyrone Crowder (foot); DB Jefferie Gibson (concussion); LB Kendall Joseph (concussion). Questionable: RB Wayne Gallman (ankle); DB Mackensie Alexander (knee). Wake Forest – Out: DL Josh Banks (suspended); RB Charles Argenzio (ankle); RB Rocky Reid (ankle).

Stat worth noting: Clemson’s current 13-game winning streak is tied for the sixth longest streak in ACC history and is tied as the second longest streak in Clemson history. It’s also the second longest current winning streak in the country behind Ohio State’s 22-straight wins. The record for consecutive wins in Clemson history is 15 straight from 1947-1949.

Second stat worth noting: Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney has now won 71 games in his career as the Tigers’ head coach. He is 71-26 overall and is in 15th-place on the ACC career wins list.

Third stat worth noting: Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson has a 165.0 pass efficiency rating in his last five games. During that time he has completed 137 of 179 passes (.709) for 1,603 yards and 12 touchdowns. In the last five games, he has totaled 1,995 yards, an average of 399 yards per game, and has 16 total touchdowns he is responsible for. He has done all this despite playing a little more than a half in one of those games. He has topped 100 rushing yards in each of his last two games, averaging 6.3 yards per carry.

Memorable game: With Clemson currently having its best season since it won it all in 1981 it’s easy to remember the Tigers’ victory over Wake Forest from that season. Clemson scored an ACC record 82 points on that Halloween afternoon. Clemson won by 58 points, 82-24, which is tied with this year’s win at Miami (58-0) as the largest margin of victory over an ACC opponent. The Tigers were 12-for-12 on third down conversions that day and gained a school record that still stands with 756 yards of total offense. Clemson rushed for a still school record 536 yards and averaged 8.7 yards per play. In all, Clemson set 21-school, stadium and conference records in the game.

Inside the numbers

1 – Clemson is ranked No. 1 for a third consecutive week in a major college football poll or ranking, a first for the program. The Tigers are ranked No. 1 in the College Football Playoff Rankings, The Associated Press Top 25 and in the Amway Coaches Poll. The Tigers have been ranked two straight weeks at No. 1 the AP and this is the first week they have owned the top spot in the Coaches Poll.

6 – That would be the number of times a Clemson team has completed an undefeated year in ACC play should the Tigers down Wake Forest. It has not happened at Clemson since 1983, and prior to that it occurred in 1967, 1978, 1981 and in 1982. Those four teams were 6-0 in ACC play. The 1983 Tigers finished the year 7-0 vs. ACC competition, but because they were on probation they could not compete for an ACC title.

8 – With a win over Wake Forest on Saturday, Clemson would improve to 8-0 in the ACC for the first time in its history. The most ACC wins Clemson has had in a season to this point is seven. This year’s team is currently 7-0 in ACC play, while the 2012 and 2013 teams both went 7-1. The 1983 Tigers finished the year 7-0 vs. ACC competition, but because they were on probation they could not compete for an ACC title.

14 – A win would give the Tigers their 14th consecutive win. It would be the second longest win streak in Clemson history, second only to the 15 straight the Tigers won from 1947-’49.

16 – A win would give the Tigers their 16th straight win in Death Valley, dating back to the 2013 football season. That’s already a Clemson record. It would mark the second straight year the Tigers have won all seven home games in a season, which would be a first in school history.

26 – That would be the number of home wins by the 2015 senior class. Currently the Tigers are 25-2 at home and a win will tie them with the 2014 seniors, who also went 26-2 at home in their four years.

28 – That would be the number of ACC wins by the current senior class if they are to beat Wake Forest. They would improve their record vs. ACC foes to 28-4. The 27 ACC wins they already own is already a school record.

43 – It would be a record for career victories by a senior class should the Tigers beat Wake. Clemson’s seniors are 42-7 right now, which is currently the best win percentage (.857) in Clemson history.

52 – That is the number of rushing yards Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson needs to pass Steve Fuller for third place on Clemson’s all-time list for rushing yards in a season by a quarterback. Fuller ran for 649 yards on 153 carries in 1978. Watson currently has 598 yards on 108 carries.

700 – A win over Wake Forest would give the Clemson football program 700 victories all-time. It would also mean Clemson is just the fifth ACC school in history to accumulate 700 wins.