4th-and-Short: Instant Reactions From Clemson's Win Over Virginia Tech
Third-ranked Clemson went into Lane Stadium and knocked off Virginia Tech 45-10 on Saturday night. The win locks up a spot opposite Notre Dame in the ACC Championship Game on Dec. 19 and will be the Tigers' sixth straight appearance in the game.
First Down: Not the sharpest night for this Clemson passing attack. Maybe it was the below-freezing temperatures but for whatever reason Trevor Lawrence just never got rolling in this game. The junior quarterback finished just 12-of-22 passing for 195 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. Lawrence came in needing another big game to keep his Heisman hopes alive and that just did not happen.
Second Down: There's that Clemson running game fans have been clamoring for. The Tigers eclipsed the 200-yard mark on the ground for just the second time all season, finishing with 238 yards on the night. Travis Etienne had 68 tough yards. Lyn-J Dixon added 38-yards and is starting to look like a solid number two over back the past two games. Chez Mellusi and Darien Rencher also had long runs late.
Third Down: After it appeared the Tigers were getting healthy at just the right time, the injury bug has reared its ugly head again. James Skalski was experiencing some soreness and played limited snaps. His backup Jake Venables suffered a broken arm. Tyler Davis went down again. Fortunately, he was able to return but we will have to wait and see if there are any lingering effects. Clemson will now have two full weeks to get healthy before the rematch with Notre Dame.
Fourth Down: After allowing 214 yards in the first half, Brent Venables' defense came out of halftime locked in. The Tigers allowed just 119 total yards in the second half and just 11 total yards in that critical third quarter that saw Clemson pull away for good. Very few, if any, are as good as making in-game adjustments as Venables is.
