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Clemson Football: 5 Reasons Tigers beat Tide in College Football Playoff

By Justin Heisey

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers celebrates after defeating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the College Football Playoff Semifinal Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Clemson defeated Notre Dame 30-3. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers celebrates after defeating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the College Football Playoff Semifinal Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. Clemson defeated Notre Dame 30-3. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

2. Pick Your Poison Offense

Clemson made headlines earlier in the season with their transition from veteran dual-threat Kelly Bryant to promising pocket-passer Trevor Lawrence, a decision that blew the roof off of the offense.

After transitioning to Trevor Lawrence at the end of the September, Clemson’s passing offense jumped from 48th to October’s seventh-ranked passing attack nationally. Lawrence has had the luxury of two tall and long receivers in Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross who finished in the Top-ten in the ACC in receiving yards with Ross finishing as the second leading freshman receiver nationally. I would be remiss not to mention fifth-year senior Hunter Renfrow and sophomore Amari Rogers who have played key roles this season.

A strong Clemson passing game is something that we’ve been accustomed to over the past several seasons with quarterbacks like Deshaun Watson and Tajh Boyd taking the passing game to a new level. The real surprise this season is the success in the Clemson ground game.

Travis Etienne made a name for himself last season by gashing Louisville on the road and has shown himself to be a homerun threat every time he touches a football. Etienne finished the season as the fifth leading rusher nationally, tied for first in rushing touchdowns, and finished with the second most yards per carry for backs with more than 150 carries.

No other Clemson back has averaged over seven yards per carry with more than 100 carried since CJ Spiller in his freshman season when he went for 938 yards and 10 touchdowns. Spiller held the freshman rushing touchdown record until last year when Etienne topped it with 13 of his own a season ago. In games that Etienne ran for under 50 yards, Lawrence threw for 380 and 404 and in games when Lawrence threw under 200 yards Etienne took off for 122, 203, 167, 153, and 156. Opposing defense can stop one or the other but never both.

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