Clemson @ Virginia Postgame Notes

Clemson Team Notes

• Clemson won today’s game by a 59-10 score. It was the largest margin of victory for the Tigers in an ACC road game since a 55-0 win at Virginia in 1984. It was the second time this year Clemson had won by 49 points, the other was a 56-7 win over Wake Forest at Clemson. It tied for the fourth largest victory margin anywhere for the Tigers in an ACC game.
• Clemson’s 59 points scored were the most by the Tigers this year and the most since Clemson scored 62 last year in a 62-48 win over NC State at Clemson. The 59 points scored were the most points scored by the Tigers on an opponent’s home field since the Tigers won at South Carolina 63-17 in 2003.
• With this win, Clemson is now 8-1 for the third straight year.
• This is the second straight week Clemson has scored at least 40 points and gained at least 500 yards in total offense. Clemson also did it last year against Wake Forest and Duke.
• Clemson’s defense forced 10 three-and-outs today, giving the defense 19 over the last two games.
• Clemson finishes its ACC road record with a 4-0 mark, the first time Clemson has gone 4-0 on the road in the ACC since 1995.
• Today’s win should keep Clemson in the top 10 of both polls for the 11th straight week. That will be the longest streak in Clemson history. The 1981 team had a 10-week streak on the way to winning the National Championship.
• This was Clemson’s eighth consecutive win away from the home, the longest streak since Clemson had a nine-game streak away from home from 1978-79.
• This was Clemson’s 16th straight win over a non-ranked team by double digits. Only Alabama has a longer streak with 25 in a row.
• Tajh Boyd completed a 96-yard touchdown pass to Sammy Watkins on Clemson’s first possession of the third period. It was the second longest play from scrimmage and the second longest pass play in Clemson history. The only one longer is a 97 yard pass from Mark Fellers to Craig Brantley against Virginia at Clemson in 1974. The pass today was the longest scrimmage play in Clemson history on the road. It was also the second play of at least 90 yards for Boyd and Watkins this year. The other was a 91-yard touchdown pass at Syracuse earlier this year.

Individual Notes

• Tajh Boyd made his 36th consecutive start today, one short of the Clemson record for a quarterback. When Clemson faces Georgia Tech on November 14, Boyd will tie Charlie Whitehurst’s record of 37 in a row set between 2002-05.
• Today was Boyd’s 29th win as Clemson starting quarterback, three short of Rodney Williams record of 32 for a career. But, Boyd tied the Clemson record for wins against ACC teams today with his 20th against a league opponent. He will have a chance to break that mark November 14 when Clemson plays host to Georgia Tech.
• Boyd became the ACC’s career leader in touchdown responsibility when he threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Sammy Watkins on Clemson’s first possession and fifth play of the game. He now has 116 for his career, 93 passing and 23 rushing.
• Boyd completed his first nine passes of the game for 135 yards and a touchdown. He finished 24-29 for 377 yards and three touchdowns. He had passing efficiency of 219, his third over 200 this year and third best this year.
• Boyd had his 16th career 300-yard passing game today. He is second in ACC history with 16. Only Philip Rivers of NC State had more with 18 between 2000-03. Boyd now has 93 career touchdown passes, just two short of Rivers 95, the ACC record.
• Sammy Watkins became the third player in Clemson history to go over 200 receptions in a career today. He caught his 200th on a 33 yard touchdown reception from Tajh Boyd on Clemson’s first drive of the game. Aaron Kelly had 232 between 2005-08 and DeAndre Hopkins had 206 between 2010-12.
• Watkins finished with eight catches for 169 yards on the day and two touchdowns. It was the third most yards in a game for Watkins in his career. He now needs just 111 receiving yards to break DeAndre Hopkins career record. Watkins now has six 100-yard yard receiving games this year and 13 for his career, an all-time Clemson record. The previous record was 12 by DeAndre Hopkins between 2010-12.
• Watkins caught his sixth and seventh touchdown passes of the year and now has 22 for his career. Today was the fifth time in the last six games that Watkins caught a touchdown pass. Ironically, the only game he has failed to catch one in that time was the Maryland game last week when he caught 14 passes, a Clemson single game record.
• Jayron Kearse had an interception and a caused fumble in the second period today. He is now tied for the team lead in interceptions with three for 62 yards. He leads the team in interception return yards. He has had an interception two weeks in a row.
• Roderick McDowell led Clemson in rushing today with 70 yards on 12 attempts. He also caught his first career touchdown pass from Tajh Boyd. McDowell did not score a touchdown in Clemson’s first seven games and now has four over the last two games.
• Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins are the only players nationally to connect on two pass plays of at least 90 yards this year. There were 12 90-yard pass plays at the FBS level entering today’s play.