Showing posts with label The Morning After. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Morning After. Show all posts

Sunday, September 17, 2017

The Morning After - Leaving No Doubt

Dabo Swinney doesn't like the term "defending" champions, rather he thinks of his new team as "attacking" champions. As in, they are attacking another championship. In Swinney's words, the Tigers left no doubt that they will be in the hunt once again this season.

1st Quarter
Kelly Bryant outplayed the reigning Heisman winner in his first road start.
(Photo courtesy Clemson Athletics)
Y'all starting to believe that Clemson is more than Deshaun Watson? Look, this program has been built to last. There's a reason the Tigers have won 10+ games six straight seasons - and are headed for a seventh. There's a reason Clemson is one of the few teams that "looks like Alabama" when it steps on the field with Alabama. There's a reason Swinney continues to say, "The best is yet to come."

The Tigers dismantled Louisville, who admittedly is probably very much overrated at this point. The Lamar Jackson effect swept the nation, but the pundits let that cover up the fact that the Cardinals aren't very good anywhere else. Clemson showed up and showed out. The Tigers out-manned the Cards at every position on the field, including quarterback. Brent Venables schemed brilliantly against Jackson in his second try. Clemson left no doubt in its 47-21 win.

Unsung hero: Hunter Renfrow, who once again made several clutch catches.
Big Play of the Game: Dorian O'Daniel's 44-yard pick-six
Big Play of the Game II: Ray-Ray McCloud's 79-yard TD reception
Big Play of the Game III: Travis Etienne's 81-yard TD run

Kelly Bryant was sharp. His downfield accuracy is incredible. His vision and ability to keep his eyes downfield while scrambling reminds me so much of Watson. Several times this year he's scrambled, found an open receiver, squared up his shoulders and delivered a bullet on the numbers. That takes talent. And Bryant is showing he's a talented quarterback.

Watch out, world. Clemson may have lost Watson. And Gallman. And Williams. And Boulware. And Leggett. And Tankersley.

But they have Bryant. And Feaster. And Cain. And McCloud. And Joseph. And O'Daniel.

And the list goes on. Clemson is here for the long haul. Too much can happen between now and December, but a third straight Playoff trip is not a stretch. Let's take it one at a time, shall we? Beat Boston College.

 2nd Quarter
For three-and-a-half quarters, I was falling asleep watching a 1930s re-run of a Tennessee-Florida game. By some miracle, the game auto-switched to 2017 and got exciting late in the fourth quarter. Seriously though, neither team looked like its offense knew what a football or a goalline was. Then, fireworks.

Tennessee's comeback from down 10, twice, was lucky in itself. Florida was headed in for a 20-3 lead, but a Vol player stripped the ball just before the touchdown resulting in a touchback, not a touchdown. Tennessee proceeded to score to make it 13-10. Florida finally got its first offensive TD to extend the lead back to 10, but Tennessee stormed back to tie the game with about 40 seconds to go.

Florida quarterback Feleipe Franks chucked the ball 70 yards in the air and found Tyrie Cleveland on the other end sliding into the end zone for a most improbable Hail Mary at the buzzer for the win. I have to say, I felt good for the Gators after what they and the rest of the state of Florida has been through this past few weeks. The Miami-FSU game was postponed this weekend, so the Gators carried the proverbial Florida flag for the weekend. A win like that was very uplifting. It was also fun to watch.

3rd Quarter
Speaking of fun, man, can Texas and USC play every year? I didn't think Texas would go on the road and put up a fight against Sam Darnold and the Trojans. The Horns did and and it led to another classic between the two blue blood programs. Credit Tom Herman for having his team hyped up as a big underdog once again. He was notorious for doing that at Houston and it translated over to Austin.

But Darnold was clutch when he needed to be. After Texas took a three-point lead with 45 seconds to go, Darnold led the Trojans into scoring position with no timeouts in his pocket. In overtime, he fired a perfect pass on the first play to give USC the lead. In the second OT, he didn't need to do much except keep USC in field goal range.

For all Texas did well, it was a costly double-overtime fumble at the goalline that was the game-changer. With two losses and a conference slate still to go, it'll be difficult for Texas to get bowl eligible. The Horns may not be back yet, but Saturday night it looked like they are well on their way.

On the other hand, we all might have been a little premature in calling USC a Playoff team. The Trojans can certainly still get there. Todd Helton is a heckuva coach and there's talent all over the field. The road to the Playoff will be filled with bumps and how the Trojans navigate it will determine their fate.

4th Quarter
A pair of upsets gave the Pac-12 a bit of a black eye this weekend. UCLA went on the road to Memphis and fell to the Tigers 48-45 in a back-and-forth affair. Josh Rosen made one too many mistakes for a player many regard as one of the top QBs in the upcoming NFL Draft. In the nightcap, San Diego State dropped Stanford, 20-17, meaning the Cardinal have yet to win a game in the US this season. Remember, Stanford's lone win came against Rice in the season opener in Australia way back on August 26. Stanford has fallen twice now in Southern California - last week at USC and this week at SDSU.

Northern Illinois also pulled off an upset, this one perhaps more impressive because it came on the road. The Huskies went into Lincoln and scored a win against Nebraska. The Huskers have to be wondering if the Mike Riley hire was a big mistake. In his third year, Riley's Huskers haven't created an identity and now have a home loss to Northern Illinois, the same team that was beat by Boston College. Yikes.

 Overtime
It's only mid-September, but I cannot wait until Nov. 4. Why? Bedlam, that's why. Oklahoma State, led by Mason Rudolph, has one of the most prolific offenses this season. Rudolph ripped apart an awful Pitt secondary to the tune of 423 yards and five TDs in the first half! Meanwhile, Baker Mayfield continues to solidify his Heisman candidacy. Mayfield threw four more touchdowns in a blowout win over Tulane. He's yet to throw an interception this season. The showdown in Stillwater will be can't miss TV. ... Penn State notched its second shutout of the young season with a 56-0 win against overmatched Georgia State. The Nittany Lions are headed into Big Ten play with a ton of confidence on both sides of the ball. Everyone knew about Saquon Barkley and Trace McSorley, but PSU has a stifling defense. ... Virginia Tech got off to a slow start against nemesis East Carolina. The Hokies turned it on in a hurry, turning a 17-7 deficit at the end of the first quarter into a 64-17 thrashing of the Pirates. Tech QB Josh Jackson threw for 372 yards and five TDs. The Hokies get a tuneup game against Old Dominion next week before hosting Clemson on Sept. 30. Blacksburg is going to be insane.

 Tiger Tweets




































-BtW
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Sunday, September 10, 2017

The Morning After - Putting the D back in Death Valley

Saturday started with overtime amidst the corn between Iowa-Iowa State and finished with triple-OT on the Palouse between Washington State-Boise State. What a great day of college football that gave us a small sample of what to expect this season. Chaos. Fun. And more of those "WOW" moments.

1st Quarter
Clemson's defense stuffed Auburn's ground game,
holding the SEC Tigers to 42 yards.
(Photo courtesy Clemson Athletics)
If you needed proof that Clemson is more like Alabama than anyone else, I hope you watched the Tigers sack Auburn. Eleven times. Clemson's defense is elite and it is what will carry Clemson all season. I mentioned during preseason that Clemson wouldn't win a lot of 35-31 type games, but more on the 17-14 side. Here we are. Clemson gets two quarterback rushing touchdowns and allows 117 yards to Auburn in a 14-6 slobber-knocker. Kelly Bryant has his work cut out for him, but FSU aside, there won't be a better defense he faces all year. By the team the Noles come to Death Valley mid-November, it's believable that Bryant and the Clemson offense could be humming.

As for Clemson's D, this marks the third game in the last four it hasn't allowed a touchdown dating to the 31-0 shutout of Ohio State in last season's Fiesta Bowl. Austin Bryant isn't a household name like Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence, or Christian Wilkins, but he racked up four of Clemson's 11 sacks. Tre Lamar isn't Kendall Joseph or Dorian O'Daniel, but his impact was felt. As was K'Von Wallace's who filled in for the injured starter Van Smith. It's been a next man up mentality for the past few years. The difference is Clemson is recruiting more talented players every year.

The Tigers now face the defending Heisman Trophy winner in Lamar Jackson. This defense against that guy? Get your popcorn ready. Beat Louisville.

2nd Quarter
Oklahoma made THE statement win of the weekend over THE Ohio State University. Baker Mayfield was terrific at the Horseshoe and made it well-known that he was not pleased with his team's performance a year ago in this game. Mayfield finished 27-35 for 386 yards and three touchdowns, adding his name to the top of the early season Heisman contenders. What impressed me most about this game, though, was Oklahoma's defense. The Sooners showed out and proved a lot of folks wrong, including me. I don't think JT Barrett is a good quarterback and the Buckeyes have plenty of issues on offense, but OU has had defensive issues for several seasons. Saturday night in Columbus, they looked like a Playoff-caliber unit.

I was also extremely impressed with the adjustments Lincoln Riley made at halftime. This game was 3-3 at the intermission and OU was moving the ball between the 20s. They couldn't find a way to get points, though. That changed after Ohio State scored to make it 10-3 early in the third quarter. OU went on a 28-6 run the rest of the game. In-game adjustments define championship teams. Riley passed his first big test against the great Urban Meyer. The Sooners will likely be favored the rest of the way now and that Nov. 4 date in Stillwater is going to be must-see TV.

3rd Quarter
Despite a big day on the ground from Stanford's Bryce Love (17 carries, 160 yards and a TD), USC dominated the Cardinal to solidify its status atop the polls and the Pac-12. Quarterback Sam Darnold had a big day in the win. He went 21-26 for 316 yards and four TD passes. The Trojans also found a running game with two rushers going over 100 yards - Stephen Carr 11 carries for 119; Ronald Jones 23 for 116 and two scores. USC was 10-for-12 on third downs and amassed 623 yards of offense. This was the USC team that won its final nine games of 2016 and could very well be on its way to an undefeated season if it continues to play like that the rest of the way. That's a scary team out in LA.

4th Quarter
Freshman quarterback Jake Fromm out-performed expectations for Georgia on the road at Notre Dame. Fromm did just enough to give the Bulldogs a win in South Bend (or was it North Athens? Sheesh, there was a lot of red and black). He passed for 141 yards and a touchdown, but still looked like a freshman at times playing in a big road game. He turned the ball over twice, but overcame the mistakes to lead UGA down the field when it needed it most. As for Notre Dame, Brian Kelly could be on the final leg. Notre Dame isn't showing any signs of being an elite team and Kelly is showing his true colors in his press conference. Not a good look for the prestigious Catholic university.

Overtime
South Carolina's Deebo Samuel was at it again with another kick return for a score and two more rushing TDs as the Gamecocks continue to impress early on. South Carolina could very well be 4-0 heading into a late-September matchup at Texas A&M. The way the Aggies are looking, that could put Will Muschamp's team one win from bowl eligibility before October arrives. ... If anyone is going to give Oklahoma and Oklahoma State trouble in the Big 12, it'll be a team in purple. TCU and Kansas State look like that next tier of teams ready to contend with the big boys. The Horned Frogs struggled to put away Arkansas, but ended up with a 21-point win on the road. K-State has scored 55 points in back-to-back games against weak competition, but the Wildcats may be for real. We'll find out more when they travel to Vanderbilt this weekend. ... Oregon held on for a big win over Nebraska, 42-35, after leading 42-14 at halftime. The Ducks went into prevent offense mode for much of the second half. Nebraska tried to do its best Josh Rosen/UCLA impression, but came up short. That's a big win for Willie Taggart early in his Oregon career. ... Penn State absolutely dominated in-state rival Pitt. And then head coach James Franklin dominated Pitt in the postgame, saying Pitt's win against PSU last year was like their Super Bowl, but this was more like PSU beating Akron. Savage. ... It's clear that the rich keep getting richer - Alabama, Clemson, USC, Oklahoma, Penn State, etc. But the poor are getting poorer, as far as Power 5 bottom feeders go.

ACC - Syracuse lost to Middle Tennessee State; Virginia lost to Indiana
Big 12 - Kansas lost to Central Michigan; Baylor lost to UTSA
Big Ten - Rutgers lost to Eastern Michigan
Pac-12 - Arizona lost to Houston; Oregon State lost to Minnesota (48-14)
SEC - No losses, but Kentucky, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M struggled with Eastern Kentucky, UT-Martin, and Nicholls, respectively.

When it comes to the "top to bottom" argument, there's not a P5 conference out there that can win that. 

Tiger Tweets
























-BtW
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Sunday, September 3, 2017

The Morning After - Winning the Opener

Welcome back to The Morning After, a Sunday staple of BENched. TMA began as a way for me to provide my thoughts on the previous day's Clemson game. It morphed into writing about the national landscape.

A new season is upon us and I'm going with a new format. There will be four quarters and an overtime, followed by "Tiger Tweets."  The first quarter will be all Clemson. The second through fourth quarters will be a look at the most important games from the weekend. Overtime will be some quick hits of the other action. Tiger Tweets will be a condensed game thread of some of my personal favorite tweets about the game.

There are still a few games to go over the holiday weekend. None should really impact the Playoff race, but a couple could turn the burner a little higher on some already hot seats.

1st Quarter
If you read my season-opening post, you know I'm high on my Tigers. It all stems from knowing Dabo Swinney loves the underdog role. With all the offensive firepower gone, pundits across the nation are hesitant to pick Clemson for a third straight Playoff run. That's understandable, but Swinney plays that chip on his shoulder better than most.

Kelly Bryant showed off his arm and his wheels
to lead Clemson in a blowout win over Kent State.
(Photo courtesy AP)
I realize Kent State is not a barometer for this team, but as Swinney mentioned during postgame this team played a relatively clean game. It was good to see Kelly Bryant lead the offense to three straight scoring drives. One of Clemson's strengths is its offensive line (returning four of five starters). Bryant had time to throw and the lanes were wide open to run through. The Tigers were very balanced and played 91 players in the game. Getting the youth playing time will pay dividends down the road. Clemson scored 56 points, gained 665 yards (312 passing, 353 rushing), all four running backs scored a rushing touchdown along with Bryant, and the passing game was on point.

Kent State managed 120 total yards and threw just five passes, completing one for one yard. I don't know why the Golden Flashes stuck to the running game against one of the best defensive front sevens in the country, but it's hard to get a read on the Tiger D when a team is voluntarily one-dimensional.

There is lots of promise for this team. The talent is there, but these next four games to close September are a different animal than what these youngsters have seen at the collegiate level. Clemson has Auburn visiting Saturday, then travels to Louisville, home vs. Boston College, and at Virginia Tech. Buckle-up, Tiger fans.

As always, one game at a time. Beat Auburn.

2nd Quarter
The GOAT (Greatest Opener of All-Time) was quite the DUD. Early on, it looked like we'd have a competitive game. But as it wore on, it was clear the Alabama was a step above Florida State. The Tide stuffed the Noles running game, holding FSU to 40 yards on the ground. Ultimately, offense and special teams blunders doomed the Seminoles. Good teams, like Alabama, take advantage of those mistakes.

Where FSU was impressive was on defense. Despite being put in terrible situations much of the second half, the Noles stiffened up and kept the deficit from growing. Alabama outgained FSU by just 19 yards. Jalen Hurts only threw 18 passes, completing 10 for 96 yards and a TD - seven of those completions and the TD were to playmaker Calvin Ridley. But Damien Harris, Bo Scarbrough, and Hurts combined for 39 rushes for 168 yards (4.3 yards per carry).

FSU would have had a long way to go to reach an ACC Championship this year before Deandre Francois got hurt. If his knee injury is serious, the Noles may be in rebuild mode with a young backfield. I feel bad for Francois. He's done nothing but get pounded into the ground since he put on that uniform. I hope his career isn't ruined because FSU can't block for him.

I'm also not completely sold that Alabama looks like the best team in the country just yet. In year's past, they destroyed their opening week competition. On Saturday, they struggled and were practically gifted some points off turnovers.

Still, I think both teams will be in the conversation in November.

3rd Quarter
Another team that impressed many but I'm holding back on is Michigan. The Wolverines had a hard time getting things going against a stout Florida defense. Starting QB Wilton Speight threw two pick-sixes that would have sunk Michigan against any other opponent with an offensive pulse. Lucky for the Maize and Blue, this was Florida. Quarterbacks not named Tim Tebow or Danny Wuerffel, umm, aren't good. Somehow, the Gators put up 181 passing yards, but only ran for 11.

Yes, Florida was without a lot of suspended players, including its starting running back and star wideout. However, at a place like Florida it's inexcusable not to have backups ready to fill in and take over.

On the other sideline, the stats show Michigan dominated this game. The scoreboard told me it was a nine-point game late in the fourth quarter. How do you only give up three offensive points and find yourself needing a defensive score to seal the deal? Michigan is a young squad and this win will go a long way for confidence-building. I still think Ohio State, Penn State, and Wisconsin are above them in the Big Ten right now.

4th Quarter
I dislike preseason predictions and prognostications (despite myself picking the Playoff teams last week). I think it places expectations on teams that haven't stepped on the field yet. Then, we judge a season-opening game based on those expectations and that's simply not fair. Take USC and Sam Darnold for example. Many anointed Darnold as the Heisman favorite based on last year. They have USC pegged as the Pac-12 representative for the Playoff. Maybe that got to the Trojans heads a bit, as they were deadlocked at 28 midway through the fourth quarter with Western Michigan.

Ohio State is another example. The preseason No. 2 team and favorite to win the national championship by many, trailed 14-13 at halftime at Indiana. The Buckeyes won going away, 49-21. Despite holding the Hoosiers to 17 rushing yards, OSU allowed 420 through the air. It took the offense three quarters to hit its stride, but that happens.

Let's hold off on the hot takes for another couple weeks until we see some of these teams against better competition. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

Overtime
Most of the top teams played cupcake games. However, there were some other interesting results. I'll start with South Carolina knocking off NC State. The Wolfpack doubled the Gamecocks' yardage output 504-246, but shot themselves in the foot too many times. Deebo Samuel made some huge plays for USC and Jake Bentley showed off his skillset. But once again, hold your horses. South Carolina got the win, but there are plenty of question marks. NC State took the loss, but much like a season ago, one play here or there can turn this team into a conference contender.

The conference debate was a major talking point in the offseason. The ACC finished 2016 on top, but that quickly went south. Aforementioned FSU and NC State lost to SEC schools, North Carolina lost at home to Cal, Pittsburgh needed overtime to pull out a win against Youngstown State, and Louisville squeaked by Purdue. The Big Ten had the best weekend, getting out of conference wins away from home over Florida and Texas by Michigan and Maryland, respectively. Purdue's loss to the Cards looked respectable and even Rutgers managed to hang with No. 8 Washington for a half.

Like I said, it's a marathon still. Lots can happened between now and conference championship weekend.

Tiger Tweets












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Thursday, January 12, 2017

The Morn...NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!!

As clear as can be, the Clemson Tigers are National Champions!
Sorry for the interruption of that headline, but WE'RE THE FREAKING NATIONAL CHAMPIONS OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL!

It sounds better every time I say it or write it or text it. What a whirlwind it has been since that late Monday night slash early Tuesday morning in Tampa. I'm not sure the smile has left my face.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the best "The Morning After..." ever! It's The (third) Morning After... A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!

1) I'm pretty sure no one wearing orange and purple ever doubted Deshaun Watson. The poise and moxy he showed Monday night was something Tiger fans have seen since his first pass against Georgia three seasons ago. Down 14-0 and facing the best defense in college football, Watson and the Clemson offense found their rhythm. I've heard multiple reports of tweets and in-game analysis blasting Watson for being rattled and confused. But I'm here to tell you folks, he was just feeling out the game. That's what great quarterbacks do. They get a feel for the flow of the game and try to find that one play that puts the offense in motion.
Deshaun Watson has a moment with the only trophy that matters.
(Photo courtesy Associated Press)
That one play was a 44-yard screen pass to Deon Cain. From that point on, every player on Clemson's offense made play after play, from Mike Williams' insane ability to high-point the football to Jordan Leggett's crazy acrobatics to Hunter Renfrow's eye for the end zone in championship games. The preseason talk of all the weapons Clemson had on that side of the ball was justified. Clemson had playmakers making plays and no one, not even the No. 1 Crimson Tide was gonna stop them.

2) Aside from the touchdowns, there were two very important plays made. First, was the tackle out of nowhere after a Wayne Gallman fumble to begin the third quarter. With Clemson trailing 14-7 and receiving the ball after halftime, it appeared the Tigers would be able to sustain a drive and show the adjustments made at the break. Instead, Gallman fumbled and Ryan Anderson scooped it up for the Tide. Anderson was racing to the end zone for a few steps while looking over his right shoulder. But from the left came Renfrow, who took out Anderson's legs and saved a touchdown. Bama was set up at the 16, but a false start pushed them back and the drive stalled, forcing Nick Saban to send on his field goal unit. The kick was good and the Tide led by double-digits, 17-7. However, it could have been 21-7 - after another defensive TD for Bama - if not for the Renfrow tackle.

2B) The second was another game-changing tackle. With the score 24-21 Alabama, the Tide were nearing midfield. On 3rd and 10, QB Jalen Hurts tossed a short pass to OJ Howard. Howard had what looked like a clear lane for a first down. Freshman defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence was trailing the play, reached a paw out and grabbed a one of Howard's feet, tripping him up and forcing a fourth down. Bama punted into the endzone and although Clemson went three-and-out on the ensuing drive, the momentum was stopped. A first down there would have been devastating for the Tigers D. It would have been a first down on the Clemson side of the 50 and the drive very well could have resulted in points.

3) OK, OK, let's talk about "The Drive." How did we get there? Well, Gallman scored with 4:38 left to give Clemson its first lead of the night, 28-24. Tiger nation went berserk inside Raymond James Stadium and it looked like the defense would get a stop on the next series. Alabama faced 3rd and 16 after Ben Boulware perfectly read a screen pass and slammed the Bama running back to the turf, sending the orange-clad faithful into a frenzy. But Hurts floated a pass over the middle which was caught a yard shy of the first down marker. Bama converted on fourth down, ran a double-pass trick play later and Hurts finished with a 30-yard scamper to put the Tide back on top 31-28 with 2:07 to go.

I immediately, without hesitation, turned to the fans around me with two fingers in the air and said, "Too much time. They left us too much time." Again, referring to No. 1 of this post, I never doubted what would happen next. Watson put all of Clemson on his shoulders. First, a short pass to Leggett for positive yards to start the drive. Not monumental, but the perfect way to start the drive. Then, a stellar catch by Williams down the Clemson sideline for 24 yards into Bama territory. Clemson reached into its bag of tricks for a hook-and-ladder from Watson to Artavis Scott to Gallman. It looked like it might be stopped for a loss or no gain, but the Wayne Train kept chugging and gained six yards. Watson picked up another short gain before hitting Renfrow for a key third-down conversion. Watson clocked the ball setting up the biggest catch of Leggett's career. With 19 seconds to go, Watson dropped back and threw under immense pressure to a twirling Leggett. He was running down the left side, turned to his right just in time to see the ball sailing to the sideline, twisted and grabbed the pass out of the air to put Clemson inside the 10-yard line. I've seen the slow motion replay of this catch 50 times and it felt even slower in real time. Man, what a catch.

1st and goal - incomplete pass, an overthrow by Watson to Leggett in the right corner.
2nd and goal - incomplete pass, but a pass interference penalty moving the ball to the 2 and another 1st down.

Deshaun Watson sprints down the field arms open
while Hunter Renfrow celebrates in the background
after the Tigers scored with one second remaining.
(Photo courtesy Associated Press)
Then ... The Play: Crush.

Watson rolls right, Renfrow off the rub route is wiiide open. TOUCHDOWN TIGERS! One second left. As Dabo pointed out, it's the epitome of this program - a five-star quarterback recruit throwing to a no-name walk-on for the biggest play of the national championship. The rest is history.

4) I could not be happier for several players' accomplishments in the game. Watson has received his due, and rightfully so, but there are others who had their moments in the game.

  • First and foremost in my opinion is Gallman's touchdown. The under-utilized tailback was able to score in the Natty. He only had 46 yards, but the 46th was arguably the biggest moment of his life. 
  • Second, Williams' touchdown early in the fourth quarter and his two incredible leaping grabs. There's not a better physical receiver in the country and I can't wait to see him play on Sundays. 
  • Leggett's aforementioned catch came shortly after he dropped a pass that would have kept a Clemson drive alive. In that moment, I felt awful for the decorated tight end. I didn't want him to be remembered as the player who let that one slip away. He made amends for it in a huge way. 
  • Scott was almost invisible on this night, with just three catches for six yards and a run for no gain. But the junior receiver was able to hoist the trophy in front of family and friends in his home town. A great feeling for a guy who has done so much for the program while generally being the second or third option.
  • Cordrea Tankersley absolutely shut down Calvin Ridley. The Bama receiver had five catches for 36 yards, but Tank did what he's done all year - not allowing a bigtime receiver to make a bigtime plays.
Clemson defenders Christian Wilkins, Ben Boulware and
Carlos Watkins celebrate on stage.
(Photo courtesy Getty Images)
5) Of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the heart and soul of the defense, Boulware and Christian Wilkins. The passion those two showed this season and coming through on their promises from last January, that'll be something I'll always remember. Senior Carlos Watkins also gets a nod for going about his business with little fanfare.

6) Some noteworthy stats: Clemson's seven tackles for loss vaulted the Tigers to No. 1 in that category for the fourth straight season. ... Clemson closed the season defeating the No. 2 and No. 1 teams, according to the AP Poll. Each win was the highest-rated victory in program history. Previously, Clemson's best win was over a No. 3-ranked team (FSU 2003, Louisville 2016). ... Clemson had outscored opponents 176-27 in the first quarter this season and had never trailed after one quarter entering the game. Alabama led 7-0 at the end of the first. ... Clemson had not trailed at halftime either, but the Tide were up 14-7 at intermission. ... Alabama was 97-0 under Saban when leading by 10+ points in the fourth quarter. The Tide led 24-14, but were outscored 21-7 and lost 35-31. ... After trailing 14-0, Clemson outscored Alabama 35-17 the rest of the way, including 28-17 in the second half. 

7) I figured I'd end with this: What a season. My university has won a national championship for the first time in my lifetime. It was one of the most epic games in college football championship history. It was a thriller literally until the last second. You know what was great? We recovered the onside kick and celebrated thinking the game was over. For 10-15 seconds, we thought we were champions. Then, they announced the play was being reviewed. Clemson got the ball with one second, took a knee, and celebrated again. I thought to myself, "This is SO NICE, they're letting us celebrate TWICE!" Honestly, the celebration never ended, it just continued and is still ongoing.

Thank you to all my loyal TMA and BENched readers. I enjoy providing you my thoughts every fall weekend. I appreciate you being along for the ride once again. I will have plenty more from this game, including a full weekend recap in Tampa and some interesting things that happened at the game from my perspective. A different take on your typical TMA. One last thing:

WE'RE NATIONAL CHAMPS!
"At the top of the mountain, that Clemson flag is flying!" -Dabo Swinney
-BtW
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Sunday, December 4, 2016

The Morning After... Back-to-back

A short and sweet TMA today, as the final ranking for the CFB Playoff will be announced at noon ET. BENched will have a reaction piece and a look ahead to the Playoff and New Year's Six bowls.

This guy is the best player in the nation.
As Dabo Swinney said, "... And it ain't even close."
(Photo courtesy Associated Press)
1) Earlier Saturday, I texted a good buddy of mine and said I had trouble sleeping because I kept having the thought that Clemson would lose to Virginia Tech. His response was simple, "Take a deep breath and remember we have #4." How could I be so silly? Deshaun Watson (that'd be the #4 he was talking about) is the best player in football. Period. He proved it again Saturday night on another big stage, claiming the ACC Championship for the second straight year and becoming the first player ever to win consecutive ACC Championship Game MVPs. He did so with 288 passing yards, 85 rushing yards and five touchdowns (three pass, two rush). Clemson fans have had the pleasure of watching DW4 for the last three years and if we ever doubt our Tigers, we should all keep in mind that he's on our side.

2) "All we need is an opportunity. Once we get an opportunity, we're going to take full advantage of it. ... We're going to go for that natty." Clemson is rolling into the Playoff and Watson's quote tells me the Tigers have had their eyes on this prize all year long. Now that the opportunity is here - or we assume it is - the rest of the country should look out. Clemson is coming.

3) Clemson has now scored 35+ points in six straight games. The Tigers have scored 30 or more in 10  of their 13 games. ... Clemson has won a record 16 ACC Championships, breaking a previous tie with Florida State. ... The back-to-back titles are the first for Clemson in 28 years (CU won three in a row from 1986-88). ... The win was Clemson's 10th over a bowl eligible team this season - the most in the nation. The Tigers played a record 11 bowl eligible teams, going 10-1. ... The Tigers' 12-1 record is tied for the second most wins in school history. In 1981, the Tigers finished 12-0 to win the National Championship. Clemson went 14-1 in 2015, falling short in the title game.

*BENched will produce more stats in another post later this week.

4) My hat is off to Virginia Tech. The Hokies are a fun club to watch. Jerod Evans is a talented quarterback and he has some really good weapons around him. He has some things to work on, but the Hokies are scary with him back there. Bud Foster is one of the best defensive minds in the business. There wasn't much he was going to do to slow down the Tiger train, but Foster dialed up some things that confused the heck out of the Clemson offense and disrupted its rhythm. Justin Fuente has ignited a fire in Blacksburg that is going to rage on for a while. Expect a lot of Clemson-VT and FSU-VT matchups in the ACCFCG in the near future.

5) Oklahoma won Bedlam in impressive fashion, 38-20. The Cowboys scored to go ahead 17-10 with 1:42 to go before halftime. The Sooners marched down the field and scored in 1:10 to tie the game. OSU returned the ensuing kickoff near midfield. The Pokes ran one play and did not call their final timeout, instead opting to go into halftime tied. OU dominated the second half 21-3. When the game was within 11, Mike Gundy called for a run play on 3rd and long to set up a field goal to cut it to an eight-point deficit. OSU missed the field goal and Sooner running back Joe Mixon went 79 yards on the next play to ice the game. Oklahoma now leads the Bedlam series 86-18-7 and is likely headed to the Sugar Bowl to face off against Auburn. Oklahoma State is likely going to San Antonio for the Alamo Bowl against either Colorado or USC.

6) The only other conference championship game that was worth watching was the Big Ten, and even it looked like a blowout early. Wisconsin jumped all over Penn State, leading 28-7 late in the second quarter. If you read BENched, you knew this nugget: Penn State is a second half team. The Nittany Lions scored just before half to cut the lead to 28-14, then outscored the Badgers 24-3 in the second half. Penn State, a two-loss team, claimed the Big Ten Championship out of the East Division. That same division has Ohio State (which its only loss is to Penn State) and Michigan (which blew out PSU 49-10 way back in September). Are the Nittany Lions Rose Bowl bound or Playoff bound? Time will tell.

7) Washington crushed Colorado 41-10 Friday night to claim the Pac-12. The Huskies seem to be a lock for the Playoff at 12-1 with the conference title. But the Huskies are holding their breath, as their strength of schedule and many other metrics are not in their favor. ... Alabama throttled Florida 54-16 to win the SEC again and finish 13-0. Florida actually looked like it was going to be in the fight early, marching down the field and scoring to go up 7-0. Two interceptions - one a pick-six - and a blocked punt for a TD gave Bama a lead despite the Tide having minus-7 yards. They did not look back.

8) It's been a really fun year and I hope you've enjoyed delving into my brain each Sunday morning. BENched will have much more on the upcoming Heisman presentation, CFB Playoff, and other Clemson thoughts and reflections. Until then, enjoy your holiday season with friends and family. Go Tigers!
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Sunday, November 27, 2016

The Morning After... Another State Championship!

1) What Clemson and South Carolina fans witnessed Saturday night was complete and utter domination. One team was focused, talented and eager to put a whippin' on its rival. The other just wanted to get out of dodge as soon as possible. The Gamecocks could not match up with the Tigers man-for-man.
(Photo courtesy Clemson Athletics)
2) Deshaun Watson likely finishes his career in Death Valley the way he started it. In Watson's first career home start, he threw six TD passes against North Carolina. Saturday night, he tossed six against South Carolina. The young man has had a career worthy of every award and record he's earned. I've been critical of him and I don't apologize for that. There are still flaws in his game, but at this time, it's just nitpicking at things I wish were perfect. Well, Deshaun Watson ain't perfect. Nobody is or ever will be. But Watson is as close to perfect as Clemson's ever had at the QB position.

3) A year ago, Mike Williams stood on the sidelines with a neck brace. Williams might want to get his back checked out this time as Gamecock defenders dangled off him all night. He made NFL-type catches and showed by Mel Kiper has him as the No. 1 WR in the upcoming NFL Draft. His first TD was a thing of beauty. His second was unreal. Williams carried the Carolina defender eight yards into the end zone. You have to see it to understand how awesome of a highlight that was. Williams was a man among boys.
4) Incredible defensive performance by the Tigers to boot. USC freshman QB Jake Bentley looked like he belonged in high school. He finished 7-of-17 for 41 yards and an interception. Bentley only played one half, supposedly injuring his knee. Will Muschamp said there was nothing wrong with him other than he wasn't comfortable pushing off throwing, but Muschamp didn't want to put him back in the game. The Gamecocks had 218 yards, were 4-for-14 on third downs, and had just 14 first downs (Clemson had 41). Again, there was very little South Carolina could do to find any mismatches on the field. The Tigers were just better all around.

 5) I'm going to do a little bragging here, and also set the record straight. I've heard nothing but a bunch of whiny sour grapes coming out of the mouths of Gamecocks - coaches, players and fans. You got beat. Deal with it. Stop trying to act like you didn't do any trash talking all week. Stop trying to act like you didn't rub it in during your five-game winning streak. Stop trying to act like your players are perfect little angels and Clemson's are the scum of the earth.

Clemson's players didn't say much this week and let their play on the field do the talking. They very well could have said a lot, considering they'd won two in a row in the series. After the game, a third straight win, they didn't hold back. And good for them. They're right. South Carolina has been, is, and always will be the little brother in this state. Clemson does run the state. The 56-7 thrashing makes that pretty clear. As does the 68-42-4 series record. Get over it.

6) Michigan and Ohio State might have been a good game that went to double-overtime, but color me unimpressed. It was 17-17 at the end of regulation. Neither offense looked competent. Ohio State's kicker missed two chipshot field goals. Michigan fumbled at the one-yardline and threw two costly INTs - one returned for a TD and one that set up a short TD drive. Ohio State was 3-of-16 on third downs. Michigan had 91 rushing yards (2.1 yards per rush). I realize it was a huge game with big ramifications, but neither team was impressive. The rest of the nation will tell you it was a classic - and it was - and that both teams are deserving of high rankings and praise. That's great. Just not from this guy.

7) Rivalry weekend produced a lot of thrills and upsets that no one saw coming. NC State knocked off North Carolina, Missouri over Arkansas, Air Force over Boise State, Texas Tech over Baylor, and Arizona over Arizona State ... All of those took place before Saturday. Then, there was Georgia Tech over Georgia, Kentucky over Louisville, Mississippi State over Ole Miss, Oregon State over Oregon and Vandy over Tennessee. Gotta love it.

8) The Heisman race is back open. Here are the serious contenders: Lamar Jackson, Louisville; Deshaun Watson, Clemson; Dalvin Cook, Florida State; Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma; Dede Westbrook, Oklahoma. That's it. Jackson has stumbled his past two games to allow the other contenders to close the gap. I still think he will be the winner, but it won't be as large of a margin as previously thought.

9) The ACC finished 3-1 over the SEC for the second straight season in in-state rivalries. Over the past three seasons, the ACC teams (Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech and Louisville) are a combined 10-2 against South Carolina, Florida, Georgia and Kentucky. ... Every Power 5 conference has a championship game next weekend - four actual championship games (ACC, Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC) and one by luck (Big 12). ... The Playoff Committee ranking comes out Tuesday and I will warn everyone now: Michigan will be ranked No. 4 this week. The Committee isn't likely to drop Michigan behind Washington at this point because the overall body of work favors the Wolverines. And a double-overtime road loss to the No. 2 team in the country doesn't do much to warrant a big drop anyway. However, conference championships are not factored in this week. After this coming Saturday, they will be and that's where Michigan (and Ohio State) will likely drop if Clemson and Washington win their conferences.

10) After Virginia Tech's 52-10 over Virginia, Hokies defensive end Ken Ekanem said, "This was a statement game, to tell Clemson that we're coming." Bring it, turkeys. Beat Virginia Tech.

-BtW
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Sunday, November 6, 2016

The Morning After... Blowout Saturday

Artavis Scott caught one of Nick Scheussler's two TD passes.
Scott saluted military personnel in the stands
on Military Appreciation Day at Clemson.
(Photo courtesy USA Today Sports)
1) Clemson's 54-0 win over Syracuse was about as complete a performance you'll see. The Tigers's offense was in sync, gaining 195 yards on the ground and 370 through the air. The defense was fast, physical, and slowed down the Orange uptempo spread offense. Clemson pitched a shutout and scored a defensive TD with a pick-6 by redshirt freshman Tanner Muse, who isn't listed on the Tigers' depth chart. There were two areas of concern - first, Deshaun Watson left with a shoulder injury late in the second quarter. It's been reported his injury was just a bruise and Watson could have returned if needed. With a 30-0 halftime lead, it was unnecessary. In relief, Nick Schuessler was brilliant. The career backup was 11-of-17 for 177 yards and two touchdowns.

The second area of concern was special teams. Clemson missed a PAT, a FG, and allowed a long kickoff return. There may have been a lack of focus in some areas with the game out of hand, but the mistakes need to be corrected. It's hard to get upset with Greg Huegel missing a 40-yard field goal after he went 3-for-3 including a clutch 46-yarder last week at Florida State. Consistency needs to improve for the young kicker.

2) With little to discuss in a 54-0 game, I figured I'd give my take on the Ben Boulware suplex tackle. No whistles had blown, the offensive player was still fighting for yards, and Boulware was doing all he could to get the guy to the ground. Was it a forceful takedown? Sure. But the referee's reported explanation of why he was penalized was because "he tackled him too hard." What does that even mean, too hard? Is he supposed to hit him with a pillow and hope he falls? Look, I'm on the side of the medical analysts who are looking out for players and injuries to their heads because CTE is real, but to say a tackle was "too hard" and THAT be the reason for the flag is pitiful.

3) It's become clear that one of two scenarios is playing out with Clemson's running game. Either Wayne Gallman doesn't have his heart 100% into this season or the Tigers aren't very good at run blocking. In a game where everything went Clemson's way, the Tigers averaged just 4.4 yards per carry. Now, 4.4 yards per carry gets you a first down every three carries, I get that. But the Tigers are averaging 4.5 yards per carry on the entire season. Gallman averaged 6.3 yards per carry (10 rushes for 63 yards), but he had one 30-yard gain. In a shortened day, he had nine carries for 33 yards (3.7 ypc). Clemson's not getting it done on the ground and Gallman has had far too many games with only 10-12 carries.

4) The win sets up a chance for Clemson to accomplish several things next weekend when Pitt visits Death Valley. First, Clemson can win 10 games for the sixth straight season, matching only Alabama for current active streaks (assuming Bama beats Mississippi State next weekend). Second, Clemson will clinch the Atlantic Division title for the second straight season. And last, a win next week would assure the Tigers a spot in the AP Top 5 for the 20th consecutive poll. Previously, Clemson's longest streak inside the AP Top 5 was eight weeks during the 1981 season.

5) More impressive stats: Clemson has begun the season 9-0 for just the fourth time in school history and the second straight season. The other seasons were 1948 under Frank Howard when Clemson finished 11-0 and 1981 under Danny Ford, the Tigers' lone National Championship season when they finished 12-0. Last season, Clemson took a 14-0 record into the National Championship game before losing to Alabama, 45-40. ... Clemson has won 46 straight against unranked teams (AP Poll), 23 straight regular season games, 21 straight at home and 15 straight ACC games. ... Clemson is now 23-1 since the start of the 2015 season. That is tied with Alabama for the best record in that time.

6) It seems long ago - it was only Thursday - when Oklahoma won at Iowa State. Thursday games do that to you, but the Sooners went up to Ames on a short week and came away with a double-digit win over a team that had played Baylor, Oklahoma State and Kansas State all within a one-possession score. The reason to keep your eyes on the Sooners is two-fold: 1) OU could run the table and finish 10-2 with nine straight wins and be a conference champion. 2) Dede Westbrook is the best receiver in football. Over his past six games, he's hauled in 12 touchdown receptions, has 1,011 receiving yards, and has a punt return for a TD.

7) On a day when most of the games ended like Clemson's 54-0 rout, there were only a few things that stood out. Texas A&M losing at Mississippi State could not have been seen by anyone. The Aggies were 10-point favorites on the road and faced a 3-5 MSU team that had lost to South Alabama. Needless to say, A&M will be falling far from the CFB Playoff Top 4. ... Staying in the SEC, the East is about as muddled and less than mediocre as ever. Florida, the top team in the East, fell 31-10 at Arkansas. Kentucky had a chance to take over the top spot, but lost to middling Georgia at home. And somehow, South Carolina is technically in the SEC East race after beginning the season 2-4. The Gamecocks have to win at Florida this weekend and hope a lot of other things happen. But in a season when this is how we've gotten here, why not?

7B) Alabama and LSU were scoreless through three quarters, but it was evident the Crimson Tide were close to breaking through several times. Bama missed a field goal, was stuffed on fourth-and-goal from the one, and had several other chances in Tiger territory. The 10-0 isn't impressive in terms of blowout numbers, but Alabama was the much better team. Not hard to believe considering LSU is now 5-3 and very well could end up 5-6 with games against Arkansas, Florida, and Texas A&M still to come. For Alabama, all eyes are now on the Iron Bowl.

8) Texas outlasted Texas Tech on the road, enhancing the chances the Longhorns reach bowl eligibility. D'Onta Foreman had a career day with 341 yards and three touchdowns. Foreman has 1,446 yards on 206 carries (7.0 ypc) and 13 touchdowns. It's sad that he plays at Texas or he would likely be the frontrunner for the Heisman. ...  In other Big 12 action, Oklahoma State rallied to beat Kansas State, 43-37. The Cowboys (7-2) remain in control of their destiny in the Big 12, needing to win out against Texas Tech, TCU and Oklahoma to claim the conference crown. ... The black cloud over Waco got even darker this weekend. People inside the Baylor bubble might be some of the most idiotic. I feel sorry for Jim Grobe having to deal with the mess he's in. If I were him, I'd tell those people to shove it. Oh, Baylor lost at home to rival TCU, 62-22, while wearing all black uniforms and fans dressing in black to show support for Art Briles. YUCK!

9) Conference races are heating up with just a few weeks to go. Here are the teams with a realistic shot of winning their divisions/conferences:
ACC Atlantic - Clemson, Louisville
ACC Coastal - Virginia Tech, North Carolina
Big 12 - Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, West Virginia
Big Ten East - Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State
Big Ten West - Wisconsin, Nebraska, Minnesota
Pac-12 North - Washington, Washington State
Pac-12 South - Colorado, USC, Utah
SEC East - Everyone except Vandy and Mizzou
SEC West - Alabama, Auburn

10) Pitt lost at Miami 51-28 Saturday and has back-to-back losses after starting the year 5-3, one win from bowl eligibility. Another long trip south for the Panthers. Give them another long trip back home. Beat Pitt.
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Sunday, October 30, 2016

The Morning After... Conquering the Unconquered!

Jordan Leggett's diving touchdown was the game-winner
and an incredibly athletic play.
(Photo courtesy Getty Images)
I thought about being lazy and linking articles from ESPN, Fox, Yahoo!, USA Today and more. Because everything I've read this morning regarding Clemson's win last night is exactly what I have thought about the game. Instead, I'll encourage you to go read those articles and I'll try a different angle.

1) Clemson is 8-0 against what ESPN says is the No. 1 strength of record schedule to date. All 11 FBS teams on Clemson's schedule currently have a .500 record or better. Three of the Tigers' wins are against teams ranked in the Top 20, two of which were on the road (Auburn and FSU). The combined record of Clemson's seven FBS opponents it's faced so far is 37-18 (SC State is not factored into this). The Tigers' wins haven't been pretty, but the résumé cannot be compared.

2) Dabo Swinney's checklist is down to one. Of all the things he has accomplished at Clemson in his eight-plus years, there were only three things he hadn't done entering this season: Win at Georgia Tech, win Florida State and win a National Championship. Well, the first two have been crossed off.

3) Embrace the Target was the Tigers' motto entering the year. Dabo semi-stole this from the Chicago Cubs, and the idea is that coming into the year Clemson would be considered the favorite. The Tigers could either take everyone's best shot and eventually falter, or enjoy being on top of the college football world, take everyone's best shot and respond with the kind of resilience we've seen thus far.

4) Speaking of taking their best shots, Florida State gave Clemson its best. The Tigers led 20-14, but the Noles - playing at home - put the ball in their best player's hands. Dalvin Cook quickly turned a six-point deficit into an eight-point lead going into the fourth quarter. Clemson's D was gassed, the crowd was raucous and the Tigers needed to finish stronger than ever to overcome. Clemson did just that, silencing the crowd by outscoring FSU 17-6 in the fourth quarter to win on the road. That might be the most impressive stat I've seen from a Clemson football game/team in a long, long time.

5) There is no use arguing with anyone about how horrible the refs were. Both teams were on the wrong end of some awful calls or no-calls. But if you're Jimbo Fisher, you absolutely cannot place blame on the officials for the loss. The way you handled yourself following one of those calls (the chop block) is what cost you on that drive. You showed your true colors. Dabo Swinney could have easily done the same with the officials on several borderline pass interference calls, a missed facemask and a missed holding in the end zone that would have resulted in a safety and a tie ballgame at 28. Your offense was moving the ball well on the final drive and your offensive line literally blew the game. Two false starts to set you back 10 yards and two sacks on third and fourth downs. When it came down to it, YOUR players were the reason YOU lost. To throw a tantrum postgame is childish.

6) That was an October to remember. It began on the first day with an all day affair - College GameDay live from Bowman Field to the exhilarating last-second win over Louisville. It continued with a Friday night beatdown in Beantown. Then came the Wolfpack into Death Valley. They nearly walked out with the win, but instead left with a limp. The month closed with another thriller and a win in Tallahassee for the first time in a decade. The fun is in the winning, as Dabo likes to say. Well, October has certainly been most fun.

 7) On to the other games from the weekend, seven unbeatens played Saturday and only three survived. Alabama and Western Michigan were off, and Nos. 2 through 4 - Michigan, Clemson and Washington - were the only other teams to wake up Sunday unscathed. Nebraska had the best effort in a hard-fought overtime loss at Wisconsin. Boise State fell at Wyoming, knocking the Broncos out of NY6 consideration for now. And the Big 12 eliminated itself from the CFB Playoff as both West Virginia and Baylor went down to Oklahoma State and Texas, respectively.

8) Washington's win at Utah was big in many ways for the Huskies. First and most importantly, they remained undefeated. Secondly, it puts one more hurdle behind them. It also paves the path for the belief system that Washington is for real - both from the team standpoint and the nation's perspective. The Apple Cup showdown in Pullman on the last weekend in November is shaping up to be a classic.

9) For the first time this season, a spot on TMA is reserved for the South Carolina Gamecocks. There is a very little talent on the Gamecocks' roster. That much is clear when a kid who is supposed to be in his senior year of high school is your starting quarterback. Another caveat, the SEC East is downtrodden. It's horrible. And those words might not be strong enough to describe how bad it really is. But South Carolina picked up a monumental win in the beginning stages of the Will Muschamp era. Beating a ranked Tennessee squad which had an extra week to prepare is a pretty good win, no matter how lost Josh Dobbs and the Vols have looked the last three games. The win moves South Carolina to 4-4. With Mizzou and Western Carolina still on the schedule, it appears the Gamecocks will be going bowling. Quite an accomplishment for a three-win team a season ago.

 10) Everyone is penciling in Clemson into the Playoff already with four games to go. You cannot sit back and relax, Tigers. You have to bring it five more times. First, Saturday. Beat Syracuse.

-BtW
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