Clemson knocks out Va Tech, punches ticket to Notre Dame rematch in ACC title game
In 1995, the Carolina Panthers played home games at Clemson during their inaugural season while their stadium in Charlotte was still being completed.
Twenty-five years later it is Charlotte that is becoming a second home for Clemson.
The Tigers beat Virginia Tech 45-10 Saturday night in Blacksburg, clinching a spot in the ACC title game for the sixth consecutive year. This will be the fifth time in the six games that Clemson will try to clinch the ACC championship in Charlotte. The 2016 game was played in Orlando.
“What a great moment and great win for our team tonight. Just proud of them. Proud of our staff,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “Sixth trip in a row to Charlotte. I don’t think anybody’s won six conference titles in a row at this level. And I don’t think anybody’s been to six in a row. Really a unique opportunity for our team and our program.”
Clemson will face Notre Dame in the ACC title game in a rematch of a game that was played Nov. 7 in South Bend. Notre Dame won that game 47-40 in double overtime. Clemson was without star quarterback Trevor Lawrence that night after he tested positive for COVID-19 the previous week.
The winner of the ACC title game will clinch a spot in the College Football Playoff. If Notre Dame loses, the Irish are expected to still be in the mix for a playoff spot.
“It’s always fun going back there. When we go back to Charlotte it obviously shows that we’re where we want to be,” Lawrence said. “We’re still in control of our own destiny. All the goals that we have are still in front of us. This is one of the big goals on our list at the beginning of the year, and to get there is awesome.”
Lawrence and Clemson will have this week off before facing Notre Dame on Dec. 19, and the Tigers have plenty of mistakes to clean up between now and then.
Lawrence was 12-of-22 passing for 195 yards, with one touchdown and one interception against the Hokies, passing for his fewest yards since Week 2 against The Citadel when he threw only nine passes. Lawrence’s one interception came in the third quarter in the end zone. He had another would-be interception dropped in the second quarter and threw a pass into triple coverage in the first quarter that was nearly picked as well.
Virginia Tech and Clemson were tied at 10 late in the second quarter, before the Tigers scored 35 consecutive points to end the game.
Lyn-J Dixon’s 19-yard touchdown run with a minute left in the first half gave the Tigers a 17-10 lead at the break
Clemson pitched a shutout in the second half, thanks in part to three second-half fumbles by Virginia Tech. One of those was returned 66 yards for a touchdown by Derion Kendrick.
Virginia Tech played three quarterbacks on the night as Braxton Burmeister and Hendon Hooker were banged up at different points, leaving Knox Kadum to finish the game.
“Defensively we really settled in and really dominated the second half, I mean just an incredible performance,” Swinney said. “Really proud of our guys. The turnovers were the story of the game.”
Clemson ran the ball 30 times for 238 yards and averaged 7.9 yards per carry, a number that was helped by Darien Rencher’s 50-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Clemson ran only 52 plays but still finished with 433 yards of offense.
Temperatures hovered in the low 30s all night and the game ended with Swinney getting a Gatorade bath from players. While Swinney said it was cold, it was also a moment he enjoyed. He’s hoping to get another one in a couple of weeks.
“I took off running there for a minute,” Swinney said. “It was cold, but it was sweet.”
Next Clemson football game
Who: Clemson vs. Notre Dame
Where: ACC Championship Game
When: 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19
TV: ABC
This story was originally published December 5, 2020 at 10:46 PM.
