Auburn made Watson look pedestrian for three quarters Saturday, limiting him to 13 of 25 passing for 166 yards and an interception heading into the fourth quarter.
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If Watson didn’t exactly pick right up from his 478-yard bonanza in the national championship game against Alabama, he was still good enough.
“He’s earned it”, Malzahn said of the selection of White, who started five games a year ago before sidelined by injury. Auburn has produced eight 1,000-yard rushers since 2010, most among FBS teams. Alabama won that game 29-13. Clemson drove the field and in one of the dumbest coaching moves I’ve ever seen, Dabo Swinney tried to go for the 4th down rather than kicking the FG to seal the win.
“I like the fact that we can step out of conference; it gives you a different feel”. But we found a way to win.
Holsey said his secondary got a big assist from the defensive line.
Then, Clemson committed some gaffes.
TAILBACK COMPARISONS: Wayne Gallman is coming off a school record-setting season, 1,500-yard season for Clemson. White later completed consecutive passes for 16 and 21 yards to Clemson’s 40, running up to spike the ball and stop the clock with 20 seconds remaining. There’s also little reason to believe Auburn can put up the points to even stay near Clemson.
Instead, Swinney called for a running play.
Auburn’s defense, led by former Clemson coordinate Kevin Steele, stuffed the bruising 1,000-yard ballcarrier – setting the stage for the Tigers’ last-second Hail Mary attempt. “We go all the way down and leave them with 83 yards to go and no timeouts”, Swinney said. But something tells me that number will soon dwindle. “I just don’t know if we’re going to do it”.
For all the reputation-changing victories Clemson accumulated over the past few years, there was one particular item missing from the checklist. Clemson’s first test of the year came in a hostile road environment at Jordan-Hare Stadium against the Auburn Tigers.
While the numbers could certainly go up, Watson won’t have opportunities to impress Heisman voters for the next two weeks as Clemson hosts Troy and S.C. State.
Junior safety Nick Ruffin needed to be helped off the field by Auburn training staff personnel in the second quarter.
Clemson allowed Auburn only 38 total yards in the first half, including one yard rushing, but still led just 10-3.
Meanwhile, Williams announced his return with an explosive night.
While Watson is surely the big-name prospect everyone will have their eyes on Saturday, Clemson wide receiver Mike Williams could prove himself a first-round talent with his return to the field this season. We’re too young, too untalented, and quite simply, just too disappointing in 2015 to put up any kind of fight against the mighty Clemson Tigers. “He had a heck of a night”. “That’s big for him”.
Zach Lentz is a Clemson University alumnus who got his start working with the Tigers basketball team from 1999-2004. Clemson rushed for 85 yards on 24 carries and hit 11-19 passes for 148 yards while AU hit 5-7 passes for 37 yards.
“There’s a lot he can improve on”. “Nobody works harder and is more meticulous in preparation than Deshaun”.
Every single bit of that embarrassing offensive performance falls squarely on the shoulders of Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn. Ben Boulware ended the Auburn drive with an interception.
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Auburn had several new pieces on defense especially in the front seven as Marlon Davidson made the first start by a freshman at defense end since at least 1985. The Tigers simply do not know what they will get from Sean White on a consistent basis.
