Clemson football: Observations during 31-3 victory at Boston College
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Clemson football is in the driver’s seat of the ACC football race and will try to keep speeding toward the checkered flag.
The fifth-ranked Tigers (5-0, 3-0) play Saturday (7:30 p.m., ABC) at Boston College (2-3, 1-2) in the first of back-to-back road games after beating ranked contenders Wake Forest and N.C. State in the past two weeks. Clemson plays next week at Florida State.
Clemson owns the nation’s longest active winning streak at 11 games and will try to score a 12th straight victory its series against Boston College, that streak trailing only the 14 against Wake Forest. The Tigers and Eagles are playing in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, for the first time since 2018.
The Tigers rank second in ACC scoring offense (41.0 points per game) and sixth in defense (21.4). Boston College is 11th in offense (23.4) and 12th in defense (28.6). Clemson is about a 20-point favorite.
Follow here for live scoring and updates throughout the day.
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What time, channel is Clemson football?
What: No. 5 Clemson (5-0, 3-0 ACC) at Boston College (2-3, 1-2)
Where: Alumni Stadium; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
TV: ABC
Radio/internet: WCCP-FM
10:51 p.m. | Clemson football isn't calling off the dogs
With a three-touchdown lead and less than 7 minutes remaining in the game, Clemson didn't go basic with its offense and focus on running out the clock.
The Tigers moved 88 yards in six plays for another touchdown, a 13-yard pass from DJ Uiagalelei to Brannon Spector. Also in the series was a 24-yard Uiagalelei-to-Brannon pass and a 40-yard run by Uiagaeleli.
Does a 31-3 win sound better to the poll voters than 24-3?
4Q: No. 5 Clemson 31, Boston College 3, 4:22.
10:39 p.m. | Clemson football's defense taking over
As has been the script for three games, Clemson's defense has been markedly better in the second half.
The Eagles gained 167 yard in the first half. As the game headed into its final 11 minutes, BC had 47 yards in the second.
And Clemson's pass rush was making itself felt -- painfully -- against the Eagles.
The Tigers recorded their third sack of the second half, registered by blitzing linebacker Jeremiah Trotter. BC quarterback Phil Jurkovec fumbled as linebacker Barrett Carter punched the ball, and Payton Page recovered.
Clemson failed to cash in, though. BT Potter missed a 42-yard attempt.
4Q: No. 5 Clemson 34, Boston College 3, 9:31.
10:28 p.m. | Clemson football gives Cade Klubnik a couple of snaps
Leading 24-3, Clemson inserted freshman quarterback Cade Klubnik into the lineup. But it didn't mean DJ Uiagalelei was done for the night.
Klubnik played two snaps, handing off to Will Shipley for a 1-yard gain and keeping for another 1-yard gain.
The Tigers then brought DJ Uiagalelei back. His third-down pass to Brannon Spector was low, and Clemson punted.
4Q: No. 5 Clemson 24, Boston College 3, 11:40.
10:24 p.m. | Clemson football widens lead on DJ Uiagalelei-to-Beaux Collins pass
Perhaps sparked by Etinosa Reuben's block of a BC field goal attempt, Clemson drove quickly for a touchdown.
Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei was 4-for-5 for 44 yards passing and had an 11-yard run during the series, finishing it with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Beaux Collins on a play in which he looked off the covering defensive back and fired to a wide-open Collins.
4Q: No. 5 Clemson 24, Boston College 3, 14:57.
10:15 p.m. | Clemson football blocks another kick
Clemson denied Boston College a chance to reduce its deficit and gain any momentum late in the third quarter.
After a Zay Flowers punt return gave the Golden Eagles the ball at Clemson's 39, Boston College moved to the 22 despite some heavy pressure on Phil Jurkovec's pass attempts.
The Eagles had to settle for a 39-yard field-goal attempt, but reserve defensive tackle Etinosa Reuben blocked the try by Connor Lytton.
It was Clemson's fourth blocked kick of the season.
End of 3Q: No. 5 Clemson 17, Boston College 3
10:00 p.m. | Clemson football welcomes back Xavier Thomas
Clemson's top pass rusher, Xavier Thomas, returned form injury in the second series of the third quarter and quickly made an impact.
With Boston College facing a third-and-6, Clemson blitzed with linebacker Trenton Simpson looping from the middle around the left end and got his arms on quarterback Phil Jurkovec. He avoided Simpson, but Thomas, who rushed from the right side, slammed Jurkovec to the ground. He fumbled. Boston College recovered, but facing fourth-and-15, punted.
3Q: No. 5 Clemson 17, Boston College 3, 4:48.
9:47 p.m. | Clemson football opens second half with sharper vibe
Clemson looked like a much more motivated team to open the second half.
The Tigers forced a three-and-out on Boston College's opening possession, blitzing from different angles to keep Golden Eagles quarterback Phil Jurkovec off rhythm.
Clemson got the ball and moved crisply, starting with an 11-yard run by Will Shipley and then a 21-yard gain on a leaping grab by Beaux Collins on a third-and-7 pass from DJ Uiagalelei. On the next play, Uiagalelei passed 38 yards to Joseph Ngata, who had burst past the coverage, for a touchdown..
3Q: No. 5 Clemson 17, Boston College 3, 11:50.
9:15 p.m. | Punt return sets up TD for Clemson football
Clemson took the lead with a boost from its special teams play.
Freshman Antonio Williams returned a 43-yard punt 20 yards to give the Tigers' offense the ball at Boston College's 28.
Clemson rushed four consecutive times, led by an 8-yard gain by Phil Mafah, and a 1-yard pass to get a first-and-goal at Golden Eagles' 6. DJ Uiagalelei bulled to the 1, and Will Shipley returned to the lineup and sliced through for a touchdown with 45 seconds remaining in the half.
It was the seventh rushing touchdown for Shipley this season and the 18th of his 16-game career.
Halftime: No. 5 Clemson 10, Boston College 3.
8:44 p.m. | Clemson football struggling to slow Boston College passing game
Boston College continues to move with its passing game, eschewing a tight end and using six offensive linemen to help slow Clemson's pass rush as well as some deft scrambling by quarterback Phil Jurkovec.
Jurkovec had completions of 13, 14 and 13 yards -- one on a third-and-10 and another on the kind of screen that riddled the Tigers early in the season -- to move the ball to Clemson's 28.
The Golden Eagles decided to attempt to convert on fourth down, but linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. broke up Jurkovec's pass to tight end Spencer Witter.
2Q: No. 5 Clemson 3, Boston College 3, 9:22.
8:29 p.m. | Boston College ties Clemson football
Boston College obviously studied video of the Clemson-Wake Forest game and Demon Deacons quarterback Sam Hartman's 337-yard, six-touchdown effort in the Tigers' 51-45 two-overtime win.
The Golden Eagles are throwing deep routes, despite Clemson's pressure. Quarterback Phil Jurkovec is leaving the pocket and finding open receivers. Zay Flowers caught one for 35-yards, setting up a 30-yard field goal by Connor Lytton.
Jurkovec has 77 yards passing.
2Q: No. 5 Clemson 3, Boston College 3, 14:58.
8:14 p.m. | Clemson football's DJ Uiageleli throws first interception
Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei threw his first interception of the season, ending a streak of 110 passes without one.
Misreading the coverage while scrambling away from pressure, Uiagelelei threw into a covered zone, and BC's Josh DeBerry intercepted at Clemson's 24.
The Tigers dodged the turnover when the defense held and the Eagles' Conner Lytton missed on a 35-yard field goal attempt.
1Q: No. 5 Clemson 3, Boston College 0, 4:55
8:04 p.m. | Clemson football's opening defensive strategy: rush the passer
With three key defensive backs out, Clemson coordinator Wes Goodwin dialed up the pass rush during Boston College's first possession.
The Golden Eagles quickly faced a third-and-12 , but quarterback Phil Jurkovec used 14- and 23-yard passes for first downs and moved the ball to the Tigers' 36 before the drive stalled as Clemson pressured with blitzes.
BC punted, and the ball bounced out at the 1-yard line.
1Q: No. 5 Clemson 3, Boston College 0, 7:27.
7:59 p.m. | Clemson football strikes first at Boston College
Riding the arm of DJ Uiagalelei, Clemson scored on its drive, getting a 35-yard field goal by BJ Potter after a nine-play, 54-yard drive. But it could have been more.
On a third-and-6 play from the Golden Eagles' 24, Uiagalelei arched a perfect pass into the left corner of the end zone, but Beaux Collins let it slip between his hands.
1Q: No. 5 Clemson 3, Boston College 0, 11:28.
7:51 p.m. | What's up with Boston College's uniforms?
It's Red Bandana Day at Boston College, and the football team is in special jerseys and wearing bandanas to honor Welles Crowther, a former lacrosse player at the school who lost his life rescuing people from the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.
BC'S RED BANDANA HEROWhy Boston College celebrates a Red Bandana Day
7:25 p.m. | Want to watch Clemson football? Be patient
For those of you turning your television to ABC for the Clemson-Boston College game, you may have to wait.
ABC has announced it will switch to the game AFTER the final gun of the Ohio State-Michigan State game. The Buckeyes lead by 29 with about 3 minutes left.
7:10 p.m. | Clemson football shorthanded again in defensive backfield
As if prepares for the passing of Boston College's Phil Jurkovec, it will be without three key members of its secondary:
INJURY WOESClemson football down three defensive backs for game at Boston College
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This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson football: Observations during i31-3 victory at Boston College
