Clemson Football: 3 takeaways from heart-wrenching win over North Carolina
By Zach Bigalke
3. Trevor Lawrence still suffering sophomore slump
Yes, Trevor Lawrence completed 60 percent of his passes, going 18-of-30 against the Tar Heels. But at this point it would be foolish to say that Lawrence is the best quarterback in the country, given the way other top passers are playing at this point of the season. Lawrence is locked in a sophomore slump, and while Clemson continues to win they are looking less and less convincing with each passing week.
On those 18 completions, Lawrence threw for only 206 yards. Forced to take checkdowns, and looking shaky when he aired the ball out further downfield, the quarterback was downright ordinary for much of the game. Tormented by Chazz Surratt and the rest of the North Carolina defense, Lawrence looked uncomfortable on the road for most of the contest.
In the end, Lawrence threw the winning touchdown pass with less than five minutes remaining. Other than that, it was a disappointing performance featuring two interceptions and a couple other balls that could potentially have been picked. For Clemson to repeat as national champions this season, Lawrence needs to shake himself out of the slump and begin to figure out how to dominate again.