Notes

Oct. 20, 2007

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Clemson (5-2) vs. Central Michigan (4-4) Post-Game Notes October 20, 2007

Clemson improved to 18-1 against non-BCS teams since 1975, and the Tigers improved to 11-1 against non-BCS teams under current Head Coach Tommy Bowden. Clemson is undefeated (6-0) against teams from the Mid-American Conference.

Clemson’s 70 points scored is the most scored since last year’s 63-9 win against Temple. It is the most points scored by a Tiger team at Death Valley since 1981, when Clemson defeated Wake Forest by a score of 82-24.

Today’s victory marked the first time in school history that the Tigers accrued at least 300 yard rushing and at least 300 yards passing in the same game. Clemson completed the game with 341 rushing yards and 315 passing yards for a total of 656 yards. The Tigers are now 51-0-1 all-time when they gain at least 500 yards of total offense. Clemson’s record stands at 104-3-1 when accruing at least 300 yards rushing and the Tigers are 74-0 when they get at least 322 yards. Clemson is 30-1 under Tommy Bowden when rushing for at least 200 yards.

Clemson tied its all-time first-down record with 35 against the Chippewas with 18 rushing, 16 passing and one by penalty. The Tigers set the school record in 1981 against Wake Forest. Today’s total marked the 10th time in school history that the Tigers had at least 30 first downs in a single game, the fourth under Tommy Bowden.

Quarterback Cullen Harper had another record-setting performance against the Chippewas.

• In the second quarter, Harper set a Clemson record for touchdown passes in a quarter with four.
• Harper set the Clemson standard for consecutive passes completed in one game with 15 in the third quarter. Nealon Greene was the previous record holder, as he had 13 consecutive completed passes against Virginia in 1997. His record-setting pass was a touchdown completion to Jacoby Ford.
• He also tied his own school record for touchdown passes in one game with five.
• Harper’s 91% completion rate on 20-23 for 273 yards and five touchdowns also set a single game record. The previous record was 85.1% set by Woody Dantzler in 2002 on 23-27 pass attempts.
• Harper is just two scoring passes shy of the school-record 21 thrown by Charlie Whitehurst in 2003 and Woody Dantzler in 2001.

Aaron Kelly’s 63-yard touchdown reception at 9:12 in the second quarter was the longest catch of his career. It was also the second-longest play of the year, with the longest play of the year belonging to Spiller, with a 68-yard completion against Louisiana-Monroe.

James Davis moved into second on Clemson’s career rushing touchdown leaders list. Davis has 33 rushing touchdowns for his career, and owns 34 total touchdowns for his career. He trails Travis Zachery in both categories, as Zachery had 41 rushing touchdowns and 50 total career touchdowns between 1998-2001. Davis owns 2617 yards rushing for his career, and is sixth on the Tigers’ all-time list in that category.

Sadat Chambers completed the game with 112 rushing yards on 10 carries, and scored his first career touchdown on a 63-yard run in the third quarter.

Tiger kicker Mark Buccholz’s wide right, 48-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter was the first missed kick for the two-sport athlete at Death Valley this year. Buccholz has still not missed a PAT kick this year, as he is 30-30 on extra points. He is 9-16 on field goals and leads the Tigers in scoring with 57 points this season.

Aaron Kelly’s was the Tigers’ top receiver with 121 yards on seven catches, with a long of 63 yards.

Chris Chancellor recorded his second interception of the year at the 0:24 mark of the first quarter.

True freshman DeAndre McDaniel became the fifth Tiger with an interception this season, as he recorded his first career interception in the fourth quarter.

Clemson’s defense recorded another strong performance today. The Tigers have held the opposition to under 300 yards of total offense in five of the seven games so far this season. Against Central Michigan, Clemson’s defense allowed only 292 yards, 216 of which were through the air.

At half-time of today’s contest, former Tiger quarterback Charlie Whitehurst donated $50,000 to IPTAY’s West Zone Initiative. Whitehurst is the fourth former Clemson football player to make a $50,000 gift to the West End Zone Initiative in the last two years, joining Michael Dean Perry, Justin Miller and Chester McGlockton.