Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Grindstone Media Group
Football at Clemson already won.
At the end of Saturday’s game at Memorial Stadium, the score was Clemson 33-10 against Miami. At the 1-yard line, the Tigers faced first-and-goal.
A kneel-down? Not with the available backup offense. Not after the defense recovered Tre Williams’ fumble at the 36-yard line following Trenton Simpson’s fumble in Miami territory. Kobe Pace received the ball from the Tigers on their final play, and he scored with 16 seconds remaining. Pace scored his first touchdown since September 17 against Louisiana Tech after recovering from an ankle injury.
“There’s no way I was going to take a knee right there,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “Those kids need to play. The practice. They deserve to play. They need the opportunity. There’s no way we can grade (freshman offensive lineman) Dietrick Pennington if I don’t let him play. We kept it pretty simple and those kids, they went and punched it in.”
No. 9 Clemson (10-1, 8-0 ACC) will play South Carolina (7-4) at home on Saturday (noon, ESPN) to close off the regular season. South Carolina just shocked Tennessee, who was ranked sixth in the College Football Playoff rankings, 63-38. The ACC championship game between Clemson and North Carolina (9-2, 6-1), which will fall in the rankings as a result of a 21-17 loss to Georgia Tech, will take place on December 3.
As Clemson prepares for its rivalry game and the postseason, these are some additional questions and their responses:
What are the state of Clemson’s injuries and illnesses?
Marcus Tate, the starting left guard for Clemson, was forced to leave the game due to a knee injury, but Mitchell Mayes successfully filled in.
Mayes has stepped in for both the tackle and guard positions on the Clemson offensive line. He had just played 66 snaps, a career-best, against Louisville.
“I really didn’t notice him much,” Swinney said. “So, he’s doing his job.”
Tate injured his right knee, but according to Swinney, the MCL and ACL appeared to be unharmed. Adam Randall, a rookie wide receiver, fractured the top of his hand but is anticipated to wear a cast and play in all future games. Bryan Bresee, a defensive tackle, missed the game due to strep sickness. The pace was prepared for Louisville but waited a week to let his high ankle sprain heal. Beaux Collins, a wide receiver, missed his second consecutive game due to a shoulder injury. In the three games prior, he had just made his first two catches.
Fielding Yost: who is he?
Swinney produced history and then needed to research some earlier events.
Swinney entered a select group that previously only comprised Bear Bryant, Darrell Royal, and Fielding Yost with his 40th consecutive home victory at the same institution.
“Do I know Fielding Yost?” Swinney said, looking around for help. “…I’m going to have to look that one up.”
In the 1970s, Bryant (Alabama) and Royal (Texas) were at their peak. Yost began working in the 1870s. In the Civil War, his father took part. Yost was a teacher who spent his days among West Virginia’s abandoned farms. He began his career in 1897 at Ohio Wesleyan and led Michigan for 25 years. His teams outscored opponents 2,821 to 42 in the early years of his tenure there, from 1901 to 1905. It was the Wolverines’ “Point-A-Minute” offense.
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Chris began his writing as a hobby while attending Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Today he and his wife live in the Orlando area with their three children and dog.
