Saturday 10/20/2007
Oct. 20, 2007
Box Score | Quotes | Notes | Photo Gallery
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) -Cullen Harper matched a school record with five touchdown passes and Clemson rolled to its highest point total in 26 years in a 70-14 rout of Central Michigan on Saturday.
Harper completed 20-of-22 passes for 273 yards as the Tigers (5-2) ended up with 656 total yards.
The total yards and points were the most for Clemson since collecting 756 yards in an 82-24 win over Wake Forest in its national title season of 1981.
Clemson’s “Thunder and Lightning” backfield got back on track, too. James “Thunder” Davis ran for 88 yards, rushing for two touchdowns and catching a third, while C.J. “Lightning” Spiller added 96 yards and a TD.
Aaron Kelly caught seven passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns.
The highlight for the Chippewas (4-4) came on the opening possession, when they moved 68 yards in 13 plays. After starting the drive with two incompletions, Dan LeFevour completed six of his next seven passes for 64 yards and his 9-yard strike to an open Duane Brooks put Central Michigan ahead 7-0.
Clemson tied the game late in the first quarter, then scored four touchdowns in the second quarter, all on Harper passes.
Harper’s five touchdown passes tied a school record he also matched in a 49-26 win over Louisiana-Monroe earlier this season. Harper also set school records completing 91 percent of his passes and throwing 15 straight completions before he left the game late in the third quarter for junior backup Tribble Reese.
Even the subs got in the action as backup running back Sadat Chambers had a 63-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter to put Clemson ahead 63-14. The sophomore finished with 112 yards on 10 carries.
LeFevour was 20-of-35 for 204 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions before leaving the game late in the third. Carl Volny ran for 36 yards and Brooks caught five passes for 49 yards for Central Michigan, who allowed its most points since losing to Florida 82-6 in 1997.
December 8, 2024
