Clemson leads Syracuse 21-7 at the half. The Tigers got off to a great start against Syracuse, taking a 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter. After that point, however, the Orange controlled the tempo and the feel of the game until late in the second quarter. The defense has shown vulnerability, though they have held their own for the most part while harassing Syracuse Garrett Shrader. Cade Klubnik provided a great end to the half as well to give Clemson much-needed momentum. Here are five reactions from the first half between the Tigers and Orange.
Winning the turnover battle
Winning the turnover battle has been a great indicator of the success Clemson will have during a game. In their two losses to Duke and Florida State, the Tigers lost the turnover battle, and in turn the game. Against Charleston Southern and FAU, Clemson came out on the plus side and rolled to wins. Today, the Tigers have forced two Orange turnovers, both which have been cashed into touchdowns. Those takeaways have led to 14 of the Tigers’ 21 points and their importance cannot be understated.
Why rush?
Where is the Clemson run game? So far it has been non-existent. Yes, Syracuse is selling out to stop Will Shipley and Phil Mafah from toting the rock, but aside from a short Shipley touchdown run following Xavier Thomas’ fumble return inside the five, the Tigers have not been able to move the ball on the ground. That is frustrating for an offense that prides itself on being balanced with the ability to run and pass with equal proficiency. Clemson has 57 yards on the ground at the half. That must improve starting in the third quarter.
What can Brown do for you?
It seems as if we hear Tyler Brown’s name more and more with each passing game. The true freshman wide receiver has established himself as one of the dynamic playmakers in the Clemson offense, and he has turned in another great first half. Brown has four catches for 51 yards, but has been Klubnik’s first option when he needs to move the sticks. Tyler has shown an innate ability to get open and run by defenders in space. If you are Dabo Swinney and Garrett Riley, work to get the ball in Brown’s hands even more.
Offensive line is offensive
Go back to the lack of a running game, and you will find the culprit. The Clemson offensive line has not had a good showing in the first two quarters. Klubnik has put together a great half, with 180 yards passing on 16 completions in 25 attempts. However, he has been sacked twice. The glaring deficiencies lie in the run game, though. It was never more obvious that when the Tigers possessed the ball, facing third down and two at the Syracuse five-yard line. A hand-off to Shipley went for no gain and was blown up at the point of attack. Then, on fourth and two, Klubnik was sacked for an eight-yard loss on what should have been a short yardage handoff. That Clemson chose to pass the ball from the five-yard line rather than run it speaks volumes about Swinney’s lack of confidence in the unit.
Beaux time
With Clemson clinging to a 14-7 lead, with a litany of empty possessions leaving the game in limbo, the Tigers needed a big play to end the half. They got one. With just over three minutes to play in the second quarter, Klubnik helped redeem another defensive stop by finding a wide-open Beaux Collins streaking down the middle of the field. The junior wideout reeled in the perfect throw uncontested and waltzed into the endzone. That score gave the Tigers their two-touchdown lead with Clemson receiving the second half kick-off. Clemson fans can let out a collective exhale for a bit.
