Clemson Tigers quarterback Kelly Bryant gets drilled by Auburn Tigers defensive tackle Dontavius Russell and has to temporarily exit the ball game.
The Clemson Tigers have their new starting quarterback in Kelly Bryant in 2017 after seeing the greatest player in school history Deshaun Watson pursue his NFL dreams. Bryant may not be half as good as Watson, but is coming off a solid first game against Kent State last week.
However, the Auburn Tigers are not the Kent State Golden Flashes. In the clash of Tigers, the winning team has be one of the best teams in the Power 5. Bryant has played well, but did get rocked on a potentially dirty hit by Auburn defensive tackle Dontavius Russell.
It was a late hit well after Bryant got rid of the football. He had to briefly exit the game, giving way to his backup Zerrick Cooper. In a way, that hit by Russell on Bryant was reminiscent to the one former Auburn great Nick Fairley put on former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Aaron Murray back in 2010.
Here’s what happened to Kelly Bryant. Zerrick Cooper now in. pic.twitter.com/ZbT7W8bHut
— Yahoo Sports College Football (@YahooSportsCFB) September 10, 2017
Clemson won the game against Auburn last year. While Auburn would too play in a New Year’s Six bowl, Clemson is the defending college football national champions. They won the ACC with their lone loss in conference play to the Pittsburgh Panthers.
Clemson would beat the Virginia Tech Hokies in the 2016 ACC Championship Game. The Tigers would slaughter the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Fiesta Bowl and beat the Alabama Crimson Tide on the final play of regulation in the 2016 National Championship.
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Overall, Clemson should not be expected to repeat as national champions. The Tigers did lose a ton of talent to the NFL from last year’s team. However with Florida State losing its star quarterback Deondre Francois for the season, the ACC Atlantic is wide open.