Each week, The Clemson Insider brings you the latest on the performances of Clemson football commitments in our “Friday Night Lights” feature. Here is how some of the future Tigers fared in Week 4:
TCI traveled to North Oconee High School in Bogart, Ga., to see four-star quarterback commit Bubba Chandler in action against Benedictine (Savannah, Ga.) as part of our Tour of Champions.
Chandler and North Oconee trailed by 28 points at halftime but showed a lot of heart and a never-quit attitude as they scored 28 points in the final two quarters to make Benedictine sweat out a close game. North Oconee was driving late in the contest with a chance to cut its deficit to one score but ultimately came up short in an eventual 49-35 loss.
Chandler had a strong second half, accounting for three of his team’s four touchdowns after intermission on passes of 23, 40 and 63 yards, and also tossed a 5-yard touchdown pass in the first half as part of his four-touchdown night.
Meanwhile, Clemson four-star running back pledge Phil Mafah put on a show again as he racked up 145 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries while pacing Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) to a 26-7 victory at Archer (Lawrenceville, Ga.)
Mafah, who averaged close to 7 yards per carry, put Grayson on the scoreboard with a 57-yard touchdown run early in the first quarter and then iced the game in the fourth quarter with a 9-yard scoring scamper that extended Grayson’s lead to 26-0.
In the midst of an outstanding senior season, Mafah has been gashing the competition in recent weeks, rushing for a combined 538 yards and seven touchdowns while averaging 8.8 yards per tote in his last three games.
Elsewhere in the Peach State, Clemson four-star wide receiver commit Dacari Collins helped Westlake (Atlanta) close out its win vs. Johns Creek (Johns Creek, Ga.) with a 5-yard touchdown reception on a critical third down late in the fourth quarter that provided the final 21-7 score.
In other action involving future Tigers, four-star tight end Jake Briningstool’s Ravenwood (Brentwood, Tenn.) team lost to IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) by a score of 45-14 in a game that was nationally televised on ESPNU. Four-star linebacker Barrett Carter and North Gwinnett (Suwanee, Ga.) fell to Lovejoy (Lovejoy, Ga.), 19-7, while four-star offensive lineman Dietrick Pennington and Evangelical Christian (Cordova, Tenn.) were on the wrong end of a 20-10 score at Collierville (Collierville, Tenn.).
Another championship season is underway for the Tigers. It is time to gear up for another year of Clemson football.
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