Clemson football: Observations as the Tigers get a blowout win against Miami

CLEMSON – Clemson football honored its seniors Saturday at Memorial Stadium, where none of them have ever been on the losing side.

The Tigers (10-1, 8-0 ACC) scored a 40th straight home victory, defeating Miami 40-10 to finish an undefeated ACC regular season.

The Hurricanes (5-6, 3-4) finished with 98 yards total offense.

Clemson got sloppy in the second half after building a 24-0 halftime lead, but the defense held up until the Tigers added two late scores to pad the lead that they hope may impress the College Football Playoff selection committee.

Clemson is No. 9 in the CFP ranking and needs teams ahead of it to falter even it wins its regular-season finale against South Carolina and the ACC Championship game against North Carolina.

On Saturday, No. 1 Georgia defeated Kentucky 16-6.

No. 2 Ohio State scored twice in the final minute to turn back Maryland 43-30.

No. 3 Michigan kicked a last-minute field goal to outlast Illinois 19-17.

No. 4 TCU kicked a field goal on the final play to top Baylor 29-28.

Stay tuned.

Here are our observations during Clemson's win against Miami.

6:45 p.m. | Clemson football adding style points to win against Miami

Freshman reserve quarterback Cade Klubnik and a bunch of reserves entered the game and added to the Tigers' lead.

Klubnik rushed twice for 20 yards and went 2-for-2 passing for 13 yards and then handed off to Kobe Pace for a 1-yard touchdown.

The Tigers can only hope that the College Football Playoff selection committee is paying attention to margins of victory.

Michigan 19, Illinois 17.

TCU 29, Baylor 28.

4Q: No. 9 Clemson 40, Miami 10, final

6:50 p.m. | Clemson defense makes it official: It's garbage time

After Clemson put the game away with a touchdown with 4:40 remaining, the Tigers' defense hammered home the clincher.

On Miami's second play, Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson blitzed and went untouched to sack Jake Garcia. Garcia fumbled, and Tre Williams recovered at the Hurricanes' 36.

The Tigers have five sacks and seven tackles for loss. Miami has 98 yards total offense.

4Q: No. 9 Clemson 33, Miami 10, 3:56.

6:43 p.m. | DJ Uiagalelei pass to tight end Jake Briningstool clinches game for Clemson football

DJ Uiagalelei may be at his best when throwing to Clemson's tight ends. A pass to Jake Briningstool put this game away.

On a first-down play, Clemson sent Will Shipley in motion to the right, and that created a gap in the coverage of Briningstool.

He slipped his block, ran down the middle and caught a pass about 10 yards downfield. He broke a tackle and wasn't knocked down until he had reached the Miami 3, a gain of 49 yards.

On the next play, Shipley went up the middle into the end zone for a touchdown.

4Q: No. 9 Clemson 33, Miami 10, 4:40.

6:34 p.m. | Clemson football again has trouble handling the ball

Clemson's defense has held Miami to 100 yards total offense, but the rest of the team is making things difficult.

AFter the Tigers' Trenton Simpson sacked Hurricane quarterback Jake Garcia on third down to force a punt, return man Antonio Williams dropped the ball.

Toriano Pride Jr. recovered for Clemson, preventing another disaster.

Clemson turned the ball over on its previous three possessions.

6:17 p.m. | Miami cuts into sloppy Clemson football's lead

Miami capitalized on Clemson's third turnover.

Three plays after recovering a Tigers fumble at the Clemson 10, Hurricanes reserve quarterback Jake Garcia used a misdirection play fake to the right and passed to wide-open Kahlil Brantley for a 1-yard touchdown.

4Q: No. 9 Clemson 26, Miami 10, 13:45

6:11 p.m. | Clemson football makes it three turnovers in a row

Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei fumbled while being sacked, giving the Tigers turnovers on three consecutive possessions and Miami the ball at Clemson 10.

It's no way to work your way back into College Football Playoff contention.

6:08 p.m. | Clemson football takes comfortable lead into final quarter

Miami recorded a run of 40 yards and a pass of 27 yards, but the chunk plays didn't put much of a dent into the Clemson's lead.

The Tigers have outgained the Hurricanes 330-75 and lead in first downs 21-4.

DJ Uiagalelei has 177 yards passing and 77 yards rushing with a passing touchdown, a rushing touchdown and an interception.

6:04 p.m. | Clemson football's defense gets a score

Clemson's defense quickly eased the pain of two consecutive turnovers by the offense late in the third quarter.

On a first down play from Miami's 9, the Tigers blitzed freshman quarterback Jacurri Brown, who tried to throw from near the end zone as he fell.

After considering an intentional grounding call, officials reviewed the play and ruled that Brown's knee was down before he threw, and the ball was in the end zone. Freshman corner Toriano Pride Jr. got credit for a sack that produced a safety.

3Q: No. 9 Clemson 26, Miami 3, 1:34.

5:59 p.m. | Clemson football makes it turnovers on consecutive possessions

On the verge of a score, Clemson football came up empty after it turned the ball over for the second consecutive possession.

DJ Uiagalelei broke off a 27-yard run to Miami's 25 and then led tight end Davis Allen perfectly down the middle. Davis was hit inside the 10 and fumbled. DJ Ivey recovered for the Hurricanes at the Miami 9.

5:54 p.m. | Familiar nemesis resurfaces for Clemson football's DJ Uiagalelei

Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei's struggles on deep passes continued in the third quarter.

Uiagalelei sailed a pass downfield over the head of his intended receiver. DJ Ivey intercepted for Miami.

3Q: No. 9 Clemson 24, Miami 3, 4:15.

5:50 p.m. | Miami dashes Clemson football's hopes for shutout

Given great field position after Clemson missed a 59-yard field goal attempt (see below), Miami responded with its first score.

Starting at its 42, the Hurricanes picked up 15 yards when Clemson's Jeremiah Trotter Jr. was penalized for roughing Hurricanes quarterback Jacurri Brown as he scrambled from the pass rush. Officials missed an obvious holding penalty by a Miami lineman on defensive end KJ Henry.

Brown then passed underneath to tight end Will Mallory for a 27-yard gain. Henry stopped the drive there, sacking Brown for a 10-yard loss and then batting a third-down pass at the line.

Andres Borregales kicked a 44-yard field goal.

3Q: No. 9 Clemson 24, Miami 3, 5:55.

5:36 p.m. | Clemson football tries a 59-yard field goal

Dominating the scoreboard and both lines, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney felt comfortable with allowing BT Potter to attempt a 59-yard field goal.

The kick was on target but short.

The longest field goal in Clemson history is a 61-yarder by Spencer Benton during a 52-27 victory against Ball State in 2012.

5:29 p.m. | Miami opens second half with longest play of game vs. Clemson football but then ...

Held to 8 yards in the first half, Miami opened the third quarter with an explosive play.

Freshman Jacurri Brown was an option quarterback in high school, and Miami called a play he clearly was comfortable with on its first snap.

Brown froze the defense with a bit of a hesitation step and broke right, gaining 40 yards before Andrew Mukuba pushed him out of bounds at the Clemson 35.

Yards became difficult from there, and the Hurricanes faced fourth-and-1 at the Clemson 26. Miami went to another option call, but linebackers Barrett Carter and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. played it well. Carter forced Brown to pitch early, and Trotter tackled running back Jaylan Knighton for no gain.

The Tigers took over at their 26.

3Q: No. 9 Clemson 24, Miami 0.

4:59 p.m. | Clemson football vs. Miami has feel of 2015 game

In 2015, Clemson traveled to Miami and won 58-0. It would be the final game as Hurricanes coach for Al Golden.

While Mario Cristobal's job is safe, this game has the feel of that game.

The Tigers have outgained Miami 228-8 and lead 15-1 in first downs. Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei has completed 14 passes to nine receivers, and 16 Clemson players have tackles.

BT Potter finished a 14-play, 76-yard drive with a 32-yard field goal on the final play of the first

Halftime: No. 9 Clemson 24, Miami 0.

4:27 p.m. | Clemson football's blitz forces turnover, leads to another score against Miami

Miami has tried quick passes to negate Clemson's pass rush, but that strategy didn't pan out on the Hurricanes' first possession of the second quarter.

After converting a third-down play for Miami's initial first down, freshman quarterback Jacurri Brown, feeling a blitz, tried a quick pass but rushing defensive back R.J. Mickens batted the ball up with his left hand. Jaylin Phillips caught it 5 yards downfield and returned it a couple of yards to the Miami 27.

The Tigers quickly converted. DJ Uiagalelei completed two passes during the drive to fresh faces -- 10 yards to Kobe Pace in his first appearances in almost two months and 3 yards to senior reserve tight end Luke Price for his first reception of the season and a touchdown.

2Q: No. 9 Clemson 21, Miami 0, 10:22.

4:16 p.m. | Clemson football takes 14-0 lead on Miami into second quarter

Clemson's offense was stopped on its third possession in three plays, but that didn't diminish the lopsidedness of the first quarter.

The Tigers led 14-0, outgained Miami 131 to -14 and had an 8-0 advantage in first downs. The Hurricanes' biggest play -- a 14-yard run by quarterback Jacurri Brown was negated by a penalty for an illegal block.

End of 1Q: No. 9 Clemson 14, Miami 0

4:08 p.m. | Clemson football takes two-score lead on Miami

Clemson made it 2-for-2 on its first two possessions, this time calling throws for quarterback DJ Uiagalelei. He missed on his first but completed his next five for 53 yards. He finished the drive with a nice run, cutting outside when the middle was clogged and outrunning the Miami defense for an 8-yard touchdown.

It is the fifth time this season that the Tigers have produced the first two scores of the game, including the third time Clemson has had a 14-0 lead.

1Q: No. 9 Clemson 14, Miami 0, 4:05.

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3:50 p.m. | Clemson football strikes on first possession

Getting quarterback DJ Uiagalelei settled was the stated mission early in Clemson's 31-16 win against Louisville. He carried on the first two plays and then led the Tigers to a touchdown.

The plan seems much the same today against Miami.

Uiagalelei didn't carry until the fifth snap, but the early calls were for low-risk plays -- handoffs to Will Shipley and short passes. There were no negative plays, and the Tigers set up -- and converted -- manageable third-down plays of 4, 3 and 1 yards before Uiagalelei threw over the middle to tight end Davis Allen for a 7-yard touchdown.

Clemson used 12 plays to move 75 yards.

1Q: No. 9 Clemson 7, Miami 0, 9:26.

3:27 p.m. | Clemson football won't have Bryan Bresee vs. Miami

Clemson will try to finish its ACC schedule undefeated without one of its key defensive players. Defensive tackle Bryan Bresee will miss his fourth game this season:

NOT EXPECTED TO PLAY:Clemson football injury, unavailable update for Miami: Bryan Bresee out

Clemson football score vs. Miami: Live updates from ACC regular-season finale

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This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson football: Observations as Tigers get blowout win against Miami