Saturday 09/03/2011
Sept. 3, 2011
Recap | Final Stats | Quotes | Photo Gallery
Clemson Team Notes * Clemson has now won 22 of its last 28 season-openers, including a 9-4 record in the last 13 years. In addition, the Tigers are now 86-17-8 in 111 home openers all-time against 36 different opponents.
* Clemson is now 6-0 all-time against the Sun Belt conference.
* Today was Clemson’s first win over a Division I team from the state of Alabama since 1951 when the Tigers defeated Auburn, 34-0 at Clemson. Clemson has lost 20 in a row to teams from Alabama prior to today. The Tigers get another try in two weeks when Auburn comes to Clemson for the first time since 1970.
* Clemson is now 6-0 all-time on September 3, which is a Clemson record for the most wins without a loss on any date.
* Clemson recorded 468 yards of total offense in today’s game. That is the most yards of total offense in a season-opening game since 1983. That season the Tigers tallied 494 yards of total offense against Western Carolina to open the year.
* Clemson’s 468 yards is the most yards of total offense in any game since 2009 when the Tigers totaled 483 yards in a 40-24 win over Florida State.
* Clemson scored 43 points in today’s game, the most in a season-opener since 1996 when the Tigers scored 54 points against Florida Atlantic to open the 2006 season. It is the most points Clemson has scored against a Division I team since 2009 when the Tigers won at NC State, 43-23.
* Clemson had three freshmen score a touchdown in their first career games. True freshmen Sammy Watkins and Mike Bellamy both scored on the first offensive touches of their careers. Red-shirt freshman D.J. Howard also scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter on the fourth carry of his career.
* Clemson started the game going 0 for 9 on third-down conversions. However, Clemson converted on 5 of their final 7 third-downs to finish the game 5-for-16
* Clemson freshman accounted for 334 all-purpose yards in today’s game.
* Clemson played 70 players in today’s game, including 24 total freshmen. That breaks down to 12 true freshmen and 12 red-shirt freshmen. It is the most true freshmen to play in a game in Clemson history. Clemson played 11 against Furman in 2007.
* The 12 true freshmen who played today were Martavis Bryant, Sammy Watkins, Mike Bellamy, Tony Steward, Cole Stoudt, Stephone Anthony, Charone Peake, Robert Smith, Grady Jarrett, Corey Crawford and DeShawn Williams and Adam Humphries.
* In addition, the Tiger offense totaled 347 yards of total offense in the second half.
Clemson Player Notes * Freshman wide receiver Sammy Watkins scored his first career touchdown on his first career reception on his first career drive in his first career game on a 33-yard pass from Tajh Boyd in the first quarter.
* Watkins’s touchdown came just 26 seconds into his career. That is the earliest a Clemson player has scored to start his career. The previous best was Terry Allen in 1987 when he scored with 8:53 remaining in the first quarter against Western Carolina. It is the earliest any Clemson player has scored to start a season since CJ. Spiller took the opening kickoff of the 2009 season for a touchdown.
* Watkins finished today’s game with 7 receptions for 81 yards. That is the most receptions and receiving yards by a Clemson player in his first game in Clemson history. The previous record for receiving yards was 64 yards by Terrance Roulhac in 1983 and Roscoe Crosby in 2001. The previous record for receptions in a first game was four by Aaron Kelly in 2005. Watkins also had two carries for five yards and a 12-yard punt return.
* Chandler Cantanzaro’s two 46-yard field goals in the first quarter were the third longest of his career. He finished today’s game three for three on field goals with distances of 45, 46 and 46. Cantanzaro is now 9-12 on field goals of at least 40 yards in his career.
* With the three field goals of more than 40 yards, Cantanzaro became the second Clemson kicker to boot three field goals of 45 yards or more in the same game. Marc Buchholz did it against Wake Forest in 2007.
* Clemson kicker Spencer Benton recorded two tackles in today’s game. He now has 17 career tackles, the most by a kicker in Clemson history.
* True freshman Stephone Anthony recorded three tackles in his first career game, including his first career sack in the second quarter.
* Dwayne Allen’s 54-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter was the longest reception of his career. His previous long came last season against Presbyterian when he had a 47-yard reception.
* Tajh Boyd went 9-9 for 70 yards on the Tigers touchdown drive in the third quarter that ended with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Boyd to Jaron Brown.
* Boyd finished the game 20 for 30 passing for 264 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Boyd also completed the longest pass of his career with a 54-yard touchdown pass to Dwayne Allen in the second quarter.
* After a 3-9 start for 37 yards, Boyd was 17 for his last 21 for 227 yards. He completed 13 consecutive passes for 200 yards at one point.
* Boyd accomplished this in the first start of his career. Clemson quarterbacks are now 15-6 in their first career start since 1977. You could make a case that Boyd’s day was the second best on record by a Clemson quarterback in his first start. The best belongs to Charlie Whitehurst, who was 34-52 for 420 yards and four touchdowns at Duke in 2002. That is the Clemson record for passing yards in any game.
* Mike Bellamy’s 75-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter is the longest rush by a Clemson player on his first rush. The previous record was 72 yards by Craig Crawford against Wake Forest on Halloween in 1981. Bellamy finished the game with three carries for 81 yards and one touchdown. He also had 58 yards on kickoff returns, giving him 139 all-purpose yards.
* Jonathon Willard led the Tiger defense in today’s game with a career-high eight tackles. Jonathon Meeks added a career-high seven tackles and a fumble recovery for the Tigers. In addition, Coty Sensabaugh recorded a career-high six tackles.
* Rashard Hall, who suffered a knee injury in the second half that is not serious, had a fumble recovery in the first half, his 10th career takeaway. He has more than any other active Tiger.
December 8, 2024
