CLEMSON – A night game against one of the most storied programs in college football. A top-four national ranking. National perception. Pride.
Clemson’s defense (and offense) had plenty of reasons to play hard last Saturday, and for much of the first half the defense held its own against a Notre Dame offense that wasn’t trying to trick anybody. But as the Clemson offense wilted under the lights and a dark Indiana sky, the defense finally broke.
The final overall numbers aren’t terrible – the Irish mustered just 348 total yards and averaged 5.4 yards per play. But the Irish gained 24 first downs in just 64 plays and were so confident in the run that they ran it on 46 of those 65 plays.