Clemson’s chances of making the College Football Playoff were seriously damaged on Saturday night, when the Tigers fell to Louisville at home, 33-21. For as well as coach Dabo Swinney’s team had been playing leading up to Week 10, not much went right for the No. 11 Tigers, who picked up their first ACC loss of the season and are now on the outside looking in on the conference title race.
Louisville jumped to a 17-7 lead at halftime after the Cardinals blocked a Clemson field goal attempt and scored on the ensuing drive with 43 seconds left in the second quarter for a 10-point swing.
Jeff Brohm’s offense built on that lead in the second half, kicking three field goals in the third quarter to go up 26-7. The Cardinals also blocked another field goal early in the fourth quarter on a night when Clemson struggled in all three phases.
Clemson’s defense, which entered Saturday ranked No. 52 nationally, was exposed early and often by the Cardinals, who finished with 366 yards of offense and 6.2 yards per play. Louisville gashed the Tigers on the ground, particularly in the first half, and averaged 10.2 yards per carry heading into the break.
Clemson’s offense had no answers either. Entering the fourth quarter, junior quarterback Cade Klubnik had thrown for just 97 yards and no touchdowns. He finished the night 30-of-52 passing for 206 yards and one touchdown. With six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Tigers attempted an onside kick, but officials ruled that Louisville recovered it. The Cardinals were back in the end zone seconds later to put the finishing touches on their biggest win of the season.
Following a blowout loss to Georgia in Week 1, the Tigers regrouped nicely and entered Saturday on a six-game winning streak. The offense had scored at least 40 points in five of its six victories and found a real rhythm with Klubnik and offensive coordinator Garrett Riley. But they took a big step back Saturday night, operating with little to no urgency, and will now need some serious help around them if they’re going to compete for a conference championship.
Miami and SMU (if the Mustangs beat Pitt) sit atop the ACC standings as the only two teams still undefeated in league play. Clemson doesn’t play SMU or Miami in the regular season, but both teams have already defeated Louisville earlier this season. The undefeated Hurricanes have three ACC games left: at Georgia Tech, versus Wake Forest and at Syracuse. SMU also has three league games remaining on its schedule: versus Boston College, at Virginia and versus Cal. The Hurricanes and Mustangs will be favored in all of them.
It doesn’t get easier for Clemson from here, either. The Tigers have two ACC games remaining and both are on the road: at Virginia Tech next week and at Pitt on Nov. 16.
(Photo: Ken Ruinard / Imagn Images)
