Clemson vs Miami live updates: Tigers pass first big ACC test of season
Clemson faces Miami at 7:30 p.m. Saturday on ABC. Follow our game and score updates here.
Final score: Clemson 42, Miami 17
Trevor Lawrence threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns and Travis Etienne had a big night on the ground and in passing game for the Tigers.
Etienne had 222 all-purpose yards and two rushing touchdowns in the game.
Clemson’s defense held Miami to 210 yards of offense, picked off three passes and had five sacks.
Allen TD: Clemson 42, Miami 17
Trevor Lawrence threw his third TD of the game, a 22-yarder to Davis Allen with 4:32 left in the game. It was Allen’s first TD catch of the season. and fourth catch overall.
King TD: Clemson 35, Miami 17
D’Eriq King scored on a 7-yard run on fourth-and-goal for the Canes’ first offensive touchdown of the game with 8:31 left in the game.
Lawrence TD: Clemson 35, Miami 10
Trevor Lawrence bounced back after briefly leaving the game and scored on a 3-yard run.
The Clemson quarterback showed some emotion, spiking the ball and jawing with a Miami player who hit him as he was going into end zone. Lawrence was called for unsportsmanlike conduct after the play for spiking the ball and got an earful from Dabo Swinney on the sidelines.
Miami’s Smith ejected for hit on Lawrence
Linebacker Keontra Smith was ejected for his hit on Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence in the third quarter,
Smith lowered his head and hit Lawrence below the chest. Lawrence was down for a bit but only missed one play.
It was the second Miami player who was ejected in the game. Smith will have to miss first half of Canes next game against Pittsburgh.
Etienne TD: Clemson 28, Miami 10
Travis Etienne scored his second touchdown of the night when he scored on a 72-yard run and showed incredible balance staying inbounds on the run.
Turnovers play role in third quarter
Both Clemson and Miami turned it over early in the third quarter.
On Clemson’s first drive of the second half, quarterback Trevor Lawrence fumbled as he was trying to run for a first down. Miami recovered it at the Clemson 40-yard line.
But Sheridan Jones picked off Miami’s D’Eriq King in the end zone to end the threat. It was King’s first interception in 109 attempts this season.
Ivy TD: Clemson 21, Miami 10
Jared Harrison Hunte blocked a BT Potter field goal on last play of first half and DJ Ivy returned it 61 yards for a score to give Miami some life after being dominated for much of the first half.
In his halftime interview with ABC’s Allison Williams, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney took the blame for even attempting a field goal there.
“That is a terrible decision by me,” Swinney said. ““I’m just disappointed in myself right now. That’s about as bad a coaching decision as I’ve made.”
Galloway TD: Clemson 21, Miami 3
Trevor Lawrence and tight end Braden Galloway connected on a TD for second time in first half, a 11-yard pass with 1:14 left in the second quarter.
Galloway’s multi-touchdown game tonight is the first by a Clemson tight end since Jordan Leggett scored twice on against Virginia Tech in the 2016 ACC Championship Game.
Galloway didn’t have a TD coming into the game. Lawrence is 19-of-25 for 215 yards in the first half.
Borregales FG: Clemson 14, Miami 3
Borregales got Miami on the board with a 42-yard field goal with 3:53 left in the second quarter.
The scoring drive was set up by QB D’Eriq King’s 56-yard run to the Clemson 22. Before that run, Miami had only 16 yards of offense.
Etienne TD: Clemson 14, Miami 0
Clemson scored on the first play of the second quarter on Travis Etienne’s 2-yard run with 14:54 left in second quarter.
Etienne passed Tim Tebow and Kenneth Dixon in NCAA history for most games with at least one touchdowns with 39.
The big play of the drive was when Trevor Lawrence hit Etienne for a 22-yard pass on third-and-14 down to the Miami 2
Miami’s Amari Carter ejected
Miami starting safety Amari Carter was ejected for targeting in the first quarter after a hit on Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence who slid after a short run.
Carter came into the game with 19 tackles and a fumble recovery on the season.
Baylon Spector makes big impact
Linebacker Baylon Spector had a big first series on defense for Clemson. The junior had 1 1/2 sacks on Miami’s first drive.
Spector came into the game with 20 tackles and one sack.
Galloway TD: Clemson 7, Miami 0
Clemson scored on its opening drive as Trevor Lawrence hit tight end Braden Galloway on a short pass and he it took in 24 yards for the touchdown with 9:50 left in the first quarter.
The Tigers converted on a fourth down in the drive. Lawrence was 7-of-7 for 60 yards on the drive.
Wet weather expected tonight
It was raining hard at Memorial Stadium about two hours from kickoff but has slowed down.
It already rained hard earlier in the day during ESPN’s p College GameDay show. Remnants from Hurricane Delta are expected to be a factor tonight.
The forecast calls for 90 percent chance of rain with high in the 60s.
Thomas might see action for Clemson
The biggest news from Clemson’s latest pregame inactive list is that Xavier Thomas is not on it.
Clemson’s starting defensive end is apparently available for Saturday night’s game against Miami. Thomas has not played in a game this year after dealing with COVID-19 and strep throat this summer.
The Tigers announced that OL Kaleb Boateng, LB David Cote, S Peter Cote, WR Hampton Earle, DE Justin Foster, DT Darnell Jefferies, LB Matthew Maloney, DT Ruke Orhorhoro, TE Luke Price and WR Justyn Ross are inactive and will not play.
Ross and Price are out for the year with injuries, while Orhorhoro has a long-term knee injury that is expected to keep him sidelined until December.
This story was originally published October 10, 2020 at 6:37 PM.
