Clemson vs. Ball State Postgame Notes

Team Notes* Clemson is now 3-0 all-time against Ball State and 4-0 all-time against the Mid-American Conference (MAC).* Clemson has now won eight straight games at home after going 7-0 at home last season.* Clemson scored 45 points in the first half of today’s game. That is the most points scored by Clemson in a half since the Tigers scored 49 points in the first half against Wake Forest in 1981.* Clemson’s 52 points in today’s game were the most since the Tigers 59 points against North Carolina last season.* Clemson had two 100-yard passers in today’s game, as Tajh Boyd threw for 229 and Cole Stoudt threw for 123 yards. It is the first time since the 2010 Meineke Car Care Bowl against South Florida and just the seventh time in school history that Clemson has had two 100-yard passers in the same game. In that 2010 contest, Kyle Parker threw for 134 yards and Tajh Boyd threw for 112 yards.* Clemson tallied 526 yards of total offense in today’s game. Clemson is now 59-0-1 all-time when amassing 500+ yards of total offense. It is also the first time Clemson has had back-to-back games of 500+ yards of total offense since last season when the Tigers had 500 against Boston College and 576 at Maryland in back-to-back games.* It is also the first time since at least 1980 that Clemson has had back-to-back games of 500+ yards of total offense in the first two games of the season.* Clemson’s defense held Ball State to 69 plays after the Cardinals ran 96 plays last week in their opener. The Tiger defense limited the Cardinals to just 10 plays in the first quarter and 20 in the second for 30 total plays in the first half. Comparatively, the Tigers ran 53 plays in the first half.* Clemson held Ball State to 3-for-14 (.214) on third-down conversions in today’s game. The Tigers held Auburn to 4-for-13 (.308) on third-down conversions last week, so opposing teams are 7-for-27 (.259) against the Clemson defense this season.* Clemson had 12 different players catch a pass in today’s game. That is the most players to catch a pass in a single game since 2007 when Clemson had 12 different players catch a pass against Louisiana-Monroe.

Individual Notes* DeAndre Hopkins caught six passes for 105 yards receiving with three touchdowns in the first half. Hopkins now has 13 career touchdown receptions. However, today was the first time that Hopkins has had more than one touchdown reception in a game in his career.* With his three touchdown receptions, Hopkins ties a school record for receiving touchdowns and joins Rod Gardner, Dreher Gaskin and Tony Horne as the only other players to accomplish the feat. Gardner was the last to do so when he scored three against North Carolina in 2000. Hopkins, though, was able to able to accomplish the feat in just one half of football.* Hopkins also now has three consecutive games of at least 100+ receiving yards, which ties a Clemson record. Rod Gardner had three in 2000, Tony Horne had three in 1997, and Charlie Waters had three in 1969.* Spencer Benton‘s 61-yard field goal at the end of the first half is a school and ACC record for longest field goal. The previous ACC record was 60 yards by Gary Cismesia of Florida State in 2007. The previous Clemson record was 57 yards, which happened twice in school history. Obed Ariri kicked a 57-yarder against Wake Forest in 1977 and Chris Gardocki a made 57-yard field goal against Appalachian State in 1990.* Benton’s 61-yard field goal is also Clemson’s first made field goal of 50+ yards since 2009 when Richard Jackson made a 51-yard field goal at Maryland on October 3.* Tajh Boyd finished today’s game 19-for-23 for 229 yards passing and three touchdowns. He now has 41 career touchdown passes, which ties him with Woodrow Dantzler for third place on the career passing touchdowns list.* Cole Stoudt set career highs in pass completions (12), pass attempts (18) and passing yards (123) in today’s game.* Charone Peake recorded a career-high seven receptions for a career-high 44 yards in today’s game. Adam Humphries had a career-high in both receptions (6) and receiving yards (49) and had a 27-yard reception, the longest of his career.* Stephone Anthony led the Clemson defense with a career-high nine tackles and his first career interception. Bashaud Breeland added eight tackles for the Tigers and Travis Blanks recorded a career-high seven in his second career game.* DeShawn Williams finished today’s game with three tackles, including a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss. His father, Ronald Williams, played against Ball State in 1992 and tallied 58 yards rushing on nine carries.