Miami Pounds Clemson for Double Overtime Win
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Ajay Allen scored on a three-yard touchdown in the second overtime Saturday night, as Miami rallied from 10-points down in the fourth quarter to beat Clemson 28-20 at Hard Rock Stadium.
Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik was stopped for a loss of eight yards on fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line to end the game.
The Tigers had moved the ball to the Miami 2-yard line after a 23-yard pass to Tyler Brown. But like they have all season, they failed to punch the ball into the end zone once again.
It was the second time in the game Clemson failed to score after moving the ball to the Miami goal line. Running back Will Shipley lost a fumble before crossing the end zone in the first quarter that also cost Clemson six points.
After Jake Briningstool gave the Tigers a 17-7 lead with 2:01 to play in the third quarter, the Hurricanes went on a 15-play, 75-yard drive that took 9:01 off the clock and turned the momentum over to their sideline.
Clemson, which fell to 2-3 in the ACC for the first time since 2010, never regained the momentum. The offense could not get anything going in the fourth quarter and the defense could not get off the field.
Clemson (4-3, 2-3 ACC) grabbed its first lead, 10-7, when kicker Jonathan Weitz made a career-best 41-yard field goal to close the Tigers’ opening drive of the third quarter.
They extended their lead to 17-7 after Briningstool made another great grab on the left side of the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown. That touchdown came with 2:01 to play in the third.
The Hurricanes (5-2, 1-2 ACC) came right back on their ensuing possession. They ran the ball down the Tigers throat for most of the 15-play drive that covered 75 yards. They capped the 9:01 drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Emory Williams to Colbie Young with eight minutes left in the game.
Twice Miami converted on third-and-longs to extend a second scoring drive. Williams connected with Young on a third-and-13 play and then again on third-and-eight to set up Andy Borregales’ game-tying field goal with 1:51 remaining in regulation.
On Clemson’s first overtime possession, Weitz connected on a 31-yard field goal for a 20-17 lead. Borregales then tied the game again with a 35-yard field goal to force a second overtime.
It was not a pretty first half for the Tigers either.
They turned the football over three times and Klubnik nearly took a sack for a safety with 21 seconds left before halftime.
On Clemson’s second drive of the game, it drove the ball 84 yards, but Shipley fumbled the ball going into the end zone and the Hurricanes recovered it for a touchback.
On the next play, Brashard Smith ran through a gapping hole in the middle of the Clemson defensive line and rumbled 79 yards before fumbling the ball at the one-yard line and then recovering the loose ball in the end zone for six points. That gave Miami a 7-0 lead with 3:53 to play in the first quarter.
After another lost fumble stymied another potential scoring drive, the Tigers finally got on the board when Klubnik hit Briningstool for a 32-yard touchdown on a third-and-nine pass.
The Klubnik-to-Briningstool touchdown tied the game, 7-7, with 8:09 to play in the second quarter.
THE TAKEAWAY
Clemson had the game in hand. The Tigers had a 10-point lead going into the fourth quarter and Miami playing with a backup quarterback. However, the Tigers could not stop Miami’s running game.
The Hurricanes pounded Clemson for 211 yards on the ground, with most of those yards coming after halftime.
On the other side of the ball, the Tigers were held to a season-low 31 yards on the ground.
IMPLICATIONS
The loss ends any hopes Clemson had of going to an ACC Championship Game. It also drops the Tigers to a likely second-tier bowl game, marking the second time in three years the Tigers will be playing in a lower-tier bowl.
Clemson also starts a season 4-3 after seven games for the second time in three years. The Tigers started the 2021 season 4-3 before closing the season with six straight wins to get to 10-3.
MVP
Miami’s offensive line. The Hurricanes averaged 5.6 yards per carry with four different players carrying the ball. Clemson was allowing just 2.7 yards per carry coming in. Clemson also failed to sack freshman quarterback Emory Williams, who was making his first start for an injured Tyler Van Dyke.
TIDBITS
Miami avoided falling to 0-3 in ACC play for the first time since joining the ACC in 2004… Clemson defensive end Xavier Thomas did not play due to violating team rules… Defensive end Justin Mascoll left the game early with an injury… Clemson wide receiver Antonio Williams left the game with a toe injury.
UP NEXT
Clemson will stay on the road and visit NC State next Saturday in Raleigh, N.C. The game is set to kick off at 2 p.m. and will be televised on the CW Network.
We have just added a new special to our store. Get the Two Pack of signed footballs from Clemson’s 2022 and 2023 classes and save $75. Thanks for your support of Clemson football.
