Clemson vs. Miami (FL) Postgame Notes

Oct. 2, 2010

Team Notes * Entering today’s game Clemson had outscored opponents 35-0 in the first quarter. Miami ended Clemson’s scoreless streak on defense with a first quarter touchdown pass by Jacory Harris. Clemson had given up just 10 points in the first half of the first three games (85-10), but Miami scored 27 in the first half against the Tigers and led 27-14 at halftime.

* With Clemson’s one play and 71-yard drive of 12 seconds in the first quarter, the Tigers have now had 11 touchdown drives of less than two minutes this season.

* The visiting team has now won the last four meetings in the Clemson – Miami series, all of which have taken play since Miami joined the ACC.

* This was just the fourth Clemson loss on Homecoming since 1971. Clemson is now 34-4-2 on Homecoming over the last 40 years. Clemson had won eight in a row on homecoming prior to today. Dabo Swinney had been 7-0 as an assistant and Head Coach on homecoming prior to today.

* Clemson held Miami to 96 yards total offense and just three points in the second half.

* Clemson committed six turnovers today, the most by the Tigers as a team since the Tigers committed six against Georgia Tech in Dabo Swinney’s first game as a head coach on October 18, 2008. Clemson had gone 22 consecutive games without having more than three turnovers in a game.

* Clemson entered this game seventh in the nation in turnover margin and Miami was 100th. The Tigers lost the turnover game 6-2. That was the worst turnover margin in a game for the Tigers since Dabo Swinney’s first game as head coach when Clemson had six and Georgia Tech had two in that 2008 game.

* Clemson and Miami both averaged 46 yards a punt today and Clemson had a net punting of 46.0 as a team. This was the first time since the 2007 Virginia Tech game that both teams had an average of at least 46 yards per punt.

Individual Notes * Andre Ellington’s 71-yard touchdown run in the first quarter was the longest run of Ellington’s career. His previous long was 60 yards against North Texas earlier this season, which also went for a touchdown and came on the first play of the game. This was also the longest run by Clemson since 2007 in the Chick-fil-a Bowl against Auburn when C.J. Spiller had an 80-yard run.

* Ellington also scored all three of Clemson’s touchdowns in today’s game, a career-high, and had 107 yards rushing and 39 yards receiving. Ellington has now had 100 yards in three of the four games this season and has scored at least one touchdown in every game. Ellington now has 380 yards rushing this season, C.J. Spiller had just 288 yards rushing through four games last year.

* Rashard Hall recorded his first interception of the season in the second quarter on pass from Jacory Harris. The interception was also the seventh of Hall’s career. He was Clemson’s second leading tackler today with eight.

* Marcus Gilchrist recorded his first career interception in the second quarter in the endzone on a pass by Harris. Today was his 44 game as a Clemson Tiger. He has never missed a game. Gilchrist also had the longest kick return of his career, a 50-yard return, in the fourth quarter of today’s game. He finished the game with a career-high 73 kick return yards and had 117 total return yards including his 44th punt return yards.

* Jarvis Jenkins had the third blocked kick his career when he blocked a Matt Boscher extra point in the second quarter of today’s game. Jenkins had the last blocked kick by Clemson in 2009 when he blocked a field goal against South Carolina. Jenkins also had a blocked extra point in 2008 against N.C. State. He has now tied the Clemson record for total blocked kicks in a career. Mitch Belton (1989-90), Leomont Evans (1992-95) and Brian Dawkins (1992-95) also had three total blocked kicks in a career.

* Da’Quan Bowers recorded six tackles with a career-high 4.5 tackles for loss and a sack in today’s game. Bowers now ranks in the top 10 in the nation in tackles for loss per game as he had 10.5 in just four games. He had 11 tackles for loss all of last year.

* DeAndre Hopkins had a career-high in receptions (3) and receiving yards (37) and had the longest reception of his career with a 20-yard reception from Parker in the fourth quarter.