College Football
No. 2 Clemson Defeats Duke 35-6
Better late than never. Clemson finally got their offense going in the second half to put away Duke 35-6. The Tigers struggled in the first half with a pesky Duke squad that gave them all they had. Clemson could not sustain drives in the first two quarters which lead to a 14-6 lead over Duke at the half. However, in the second half Clemson would score 21 points to secure the win over Duke.
Clemson Review
The first half was miserable to watch if you were a Clemson fan. The offense struggled to find their rhythm and seemed to want to force the passing game than establish the running game as other teams had done before (Duke ranks in the 100s for rush defense in the nation). Receivers didn’t help the cause by having a case of the dropsies where some caught balls could have extended drives or gone for points. Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence would go on to make a couple of big throws that led to points, including a 19-yard passing touchdown to Justyn Ross before the half. Starting RB Trevor Etienne would open things up in the running game and score two touchdowns in the third quarter on two consecutive drives. Should Clemson fans be worried about the offense? Not yet, but should the Tigers win out the offense might be something to watch in the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Clemson Defense did what it has done all season: keep the opposing offense in check. Clemson allowed six points in the first quarter but zero points the rest of the game. Duke managed to grind out some long drives with good plays, but could only settle for field goals. Overall, another solid performance for the defense.
Next week, Clemson hosts South Carolina in the Battle for the Palmetto State rivalry game.
Duke Review
Give credit to Duke, they held Clemson in check for most of the first half. Duke managed to continue what Boston College did last week in confusing the Trevor Lawrence with defensive packages and called a great first half on offense. Unfortunately, Duke could not finish drives with touchdowns or this game may have gone down to the wire. Starting QB Daniel Jones was as effective as he needed to be in the first half but points were hard to come by against this relentless defense. Overall, a solid effort by Duke and a better outcome than most (including myself) predicted.
Next week Duke hosts Wake Forest in the Tobacco Rivalry game.
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Photo credit to Amanda Tuten via Flickr
