With the thrilling victory on Saturday, Clemson extended its winning streak over Wake Forest to 14 games.
N.C.’s Winston-Salem It was not attractive. It wasn’t ugly. It was truly terrible.
At Truist Field on Saturday, No. 5 Clemson defeated No. 21 Wake Forest 51-45 in double overtime thanks to a strong defensive performance.
Sam Hartman, the Demon Deacons’ quarterback, completed 20 of his 29 throws and threw six touchdown passes for 337 of the team’s 447 total offensive yards. Additionally, four pass interference penalties and one personal foul were assessed to Clemson’s defensive backs.
Wes Goodwin, head of Clemson’s defense, said, “We found a way to get the win, right,” with satisfaction. “Of course, congrats to our people. This football team’s true character was on display outside today. Just playing physically and putting everything on the line. That’s all it takes.
On fourth-and-six from the Clemson 21-yard line, cornerback Nate Wiggins intercepted Hartman’s final pass of the game, giving the Tigers (4-0, 2-0 ACC) their first victory of the season.
Goodwin added, “Obviously, it was really ugly from a defensive standpoint, but we found a way to get one more play and win the game”
Goodwin had a point. Clemson’s defense did rise to the occasion and get the results that were required.
Wake Forest appeared to be heading for a game-winning field goal on its final possession of regulation after moving the ball to its own 47. However, defensive tackle Tyler Davis made a break and struck running back Justice Ellison on the following play, losing him three yards.
The following play, Davis and Myles Murphy, a defensive end, sacked Hartman for a four-yard loss. The Deacons were forced to punt as a result of Hartman’s incomplete third-down pass to tight end Blake Whiteheart, which only covered 12 yards and ultimately resulted in OT.
After both teams scored to force a second OT, DJ Uiagalelei’s 21-yard touchdown pass to tight end Davis Allen gave Clemson the lead at 51-45.
It was now the defense’s turn to take the victory, which they accomplished.
After Davis stopped Ellison for no gain on the first down, Bryan Bresee intercepted Hartman’s ball on the second down, and on the third down, he sprinted for four yards. The experienced quarterback of Wake faced a fourth-and-six situation from the Clemson 21 and launched a pass to his top target, wide receiver A.T. Perry, who was in the Clemson end zone. To secure Clemson’s tenth straight victory, Wiggins was there to bat the ball down.
“We just went four-man rush and played Cover 2 on both of those snaps,” Goodwin said. “Just gave us an opportunity with those guys up front to go win and create some rush and stuff. I was just trying to put us in the best position pass coverage wise, as well.
“Our guys responded and played it out.”
Despite Clemson giving up a few rushing yards in the fourth quarter and overtime, the Tigers played zone defense with their linebackers off the line. For the Clemson defense, it was one of those “choose your poison” situations.
Either stop stopping the Clemson secondary from being destroyed by Hartman and his receivers. or hope that his defensive line can stop the run by dropping two of his linebackers into coverage.
“We went to playing the run with a gap short, just trying to hold off the RPO windows and stuff,” Goodwin said. “Whenever that quarterback puts it in (the mesh), he is watching that free safety. If he triggers, they are throwing in behind him. If he stays high, they are handing it off.
That was sort of the adjustment, then. ‘Hey, we are going to make them hand it off and just be really patient.’ There were several runs that (made it) through there, but occasionally you have to give one up in order to be able to scratch your head.
