Jason Priester All Clemson
Ups and Downs: Clemson Gets Back On Winning Track Against Louisville
CLEMSON- After last week's loss in South Bend, Dabo Swinney's Tigers needed a bounce-back performance in the worst way.
Clemson did exactly that, as the No. 10 Tigers easily disposed of the Cardinals 31-16 extending the nation's longest home winning streak to 39 games.
Ups
Defense: While the final numbers might not bare it out, Clemson's defense played much better in the win over Louisville. The Cardinals ended up with 400 yards of offense and 150 rushing yards, but much of that came in the fourth quarter after the game was all but decided. Louisville totaled 150 yards of offense in the final frame, with 62 coming on the ground.
Make no mistake, it wasn't perfect by any stretch, such as giving 18 yards on the ground on a 3-and-21, but overall, much improved from a week ago when the Tigers were flat out physically.
Clemson was able to register four sacks on the day, with seven more hurries, as neither Louisville QB was able to really settle in a get into a rhythm. The Cardinals were also just 3-of-14 on 3rd down.
Antonio Williams: The freshman wideout was the star for Clemson's offense in this one, hauling in 10 passes for 83 yards, including a 36-yard TD. The more Williams gets the ball, the better this offense will produce.
Phil Mafah and Will Shipley: While Shipley gets a lot of the attention, Mafah brings his own unique skillset to the table. It was never on display more than it was on a second-half run in which his legs never quit moving and he pushed the pile forward for a 1st down. The sophomore back finished with 106 yards on the day, including a 39-yard TD run late.
Shipley also did his part, running for 97 hard-earned yards, with a 25-yard TD run in the first half. When these two have room to run, the Tigers are hard to beat.
Downs
Turnovers: Clemson turned it over three more times in the win and lost the turnover battle 3:1. That's the second time in the past three games the Tigers have lost the turnover margin, yet still found a way to win. DJ Uiagalelei, Shipley and Williams all put the ball on the ground.
3rd Down Conversions: After being so good on 3rd down over the first half of the season, the offense has really taken a step back of late. Clemson was just 4-of-13 against the Cardinals.
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