It was a total team effort as Clemson put up 77 points on Louisville as the Tigers made their case to be the new No. 1 team in the College Football Playoff rankings.
No. 2 Clemson beat Louisville 77-16 in a game that was over before it even started. Dabo Swinney’s team looks poised to make their fourth straight Playoff appearance while Louisville is still looking for their first win over a Power 5 opponent.
Clemson didn’t give Louisville a chance to think about the upset as the Tigers sprinted out to a 35-2 lead at halftime and blitzed them with 28 more points in the third quarter as the rout was on.
The previous two weeks has seen freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence throw for 300-plus yards in back-to-back performances that saw him set new career-highs in yards and attempts. Lawrence didn’t need to do any heavy lifting against a beleaguered Louisville team as he took a back seat to the run game.
Clemson’s offensive line should get the game ball for their performance opening up holes for running backs to run through all afternoon. The Tigers ran for 492 yards on 37 carries for a whopping 13.3 yards per carry. Clemson had five rushing touchdowns, including one from 350-pound defensive tackle, Dexter Lawrence, and three ball carriers eclipse the 100-yard mark.
Travis Etienne led all Clemson ball carriers with 153 yards on eight carries, Lyn-J Dixon added 115 yards on four carries and Tavian Feaster had 101 yards on six carries. All backs reached the end zone, with Feaster scoring twice.
With the rushing game fueling this blowout win over Louisville, Clemson has another lopsided victory to impress the College Football Playoff committee. Depending on what happens between No. 1 Alabama and No. 3 LSU in Baton Rouge later Saturday night, the Tigers might have a case to be the new No. 1 team in Tuesday’s College Football Playoff rankings.
If Alabama loses a close game, Clemson could move up to the top spot, but it also wouldn’t be a surprise to see LSU leap from them with a convincing win and keep Clemson at No. 2. Don’t expect Swinney to worry too much where they’re ranked. As long as Clemson displays the dominant rushing attack they did vs. Louisville to complement their defense and the maturation of Lawrence, the Tigers are good enough to beat any team in the nation.
They might not even be tested until the Playoff considering the state of the ACC.