Clemson won by 58 points but took a ding to its strength of schedule. Here is what we learned from the showdown against The Citadel.
Every year, there is a weekend in November where there are few statement games and most of the top contenders square off against cupcake opponents in paycheck games. This year’s version is Week 12, where many highly-ranked programs took on FCS opponents.
Sometimes it results in a history-altering moment, like when Appalachian State took down Michigan in 2007. More often than not, though, it merely ends up in a lot of blowouts on the scoreboard. The dearth of depth is often too much for a lower-subdivision opponent to overcome, as reduced scholarship numbers mean that fatigue and injury are magnified more drastically for smaller schools.
That was definitely the case for The Citadel. Coming to Clemson with a .500 record, the sixth-best team in the Southern Conference was obliterated by the Tigers in a 61-3 blowout.
What did we actually learn from this game?
Honestly, we didn’t learn much at all from a team that had already locked up its spot in the ACC championship game. Clemson was never going to gain much from playing The Citadel in terms of the rankings. What they did gain instead was a nominal bye week ahead of the Battle for the Palmetto State against the Gamecocks on Thanksgiving weekend.
Kelly Bryant went 17-of-22 for 230 yards and three touchdowns before taking an early rest for the day. His backups, Hunter Johnson and Zerrick Cooper, got plenty of snaps. Johnson finished 7-of-8 for 144 yards and a score. Cooper contributed 7-of-11 for 105 yards and a touchdown, as Clemson nearly reached 500 yards passing as a team.
They didn’t run the ball as much as one might expect. But Tavien Feaster and Travis Etienne combined for 131 yards on 12 carries, with Etienne punching in two touchdowns and Feaster another on the ground.
Meanwhile, Clemson dominated when they were on defense. The Bulldogs were held to 216 total yards of offense by the defending College Football Playoff national champions. Clemson pitched a shutout for more than three quarters, only a field goal putting The Citadel on the scoreboard.
Next: NFL Mock Draft 2018: First round after Week 11 edition
Clemson isn’t going to jump over Alabama in the College Football Playoff Top 25 this week. Nor will they likely fall behind Miami, Oklahoma, or Wisconsin. They will remain in the top four for another week as Dabo Swinney’s team pushes for a third straight Playoff appearance.