Clemson Tigers vs Auburn Tigers Football Recap

Clemson 38, Auburn 24

It was the offensive performance Clemson coaches said was coming all offseason – no promises on when, but it was coming.

With the national stage and home-field, Saturday displayed what the new Clemson hurry-up, spread offense can do in a 38-24 victory over the reigning national champions Auburn (2-1) to end the nation’s longest winning streak at 17, and serving notice to the ACC – they’re a contender.

Early on, there couldn’t have been a more different story.

On Auburn’s second drive, two plays and 25 seconds were all Tigers offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn’s offense needed with running back Michael Dyer streaking to the endzone 52 yards for a rushing touchdown.

After another Clemson punt, Auburn produced a sustained drive by their standards – going six-plays in 2:03, capped by a 36-yard touchdown connection from quarterback Barrett Trotter to wide receiver Emory Blake for a 14-0 lead.

The ACC Tigers finally answered by way of wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins wrestling a ball away from an Auburn defender in the endzone to make the score 14-7 in the second quarter.

But Clemson (3-0) just couldn’t seem to get any traction as Auburn went 90 yards on their next drive with Dyer punching it in again to regain the two-touchdown lead, 21-7, and silencing the orange-clad crowd.

This was a defining moment of the game, and maybe Clemson’s season – would they crumble like oh-so-many times before against ranked competition? Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd said…no.

After a number of short passes, Boyd hit tight end Dwayne Allen in the back of the endzone on a six-yard strike to draw back within a touchdown.

Clemson’s defense forced an Auburn three-and-out a drive later – setting up a 75-yard touchdown drive, tying the game 21-21 just before the half with a two-yard rushing touchdown from running back Andre Ellington.

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Momentum had shifted – Clemson’s Death Valley was electric, and so too, freshmen wide receiver Sammy Watkins in the second half.

Facing third down on the opening drive of the second half, Boyd hit Watkins on the fly for a 65-yard touchdown pass to give Clemson a 28-21 lead 1:15 into the third quarter.

Auburn ’s Dyer almost brought the score back to even, finding nothing but green grass ahead of him on another run around the edge, until Clemson safety Jonathan Meeks tracked him down from across the field to push him out of bounds and hold him to a 45-yard carry. Auburn settled for a 38-yard field goal to get within four points, but that’s all Clemson would allow in the second half.

Not skipping a beat, the Clemson offense hummed down the field 80 yards in 12 plays for another touchdown pass from Boyd to Watkins for a 35-24 score.

The Tigers added a 38-yard field goal of their own to gain a two-touchdown edge, and used the fourth quarter to grind out the finish – going 18 plays and 73 yards to take close to ten minutes off the clock ending with the victory formation and a quarterback kneel.

Clemson converted 10-straight third down plays at one point, and 12-for-13 from the second quarter on. They eclipsed 600 total yards by midway through the fourth quarter and finished with 624, the third highest in Clemson history.

Boyd was 30-for-42 with 386 passing yards and four touchdowns on the day. His top target, Watkins, made ten catches for 155 yards, and added seven rushes for 44 yards with two touchdowns on the game.

Clemson hosts preseason ACC favorites Florida State (2-1) next week in a game that could have major implications on the Atlantic Division.

By: Brandon Rink
DFN Sports Staff Writer