Miami (Fla.) vs. Clemson Notes

TEAM NOTES

• Clemson improved to 4-1 in Bank of America Stadium and 3-0 in ACC Championship games. The Tigers defeated Virginia Tech 38-10 in the 2011 title game and North Carolina 45-37 in 2015 title games. Thus, Clemson has scored at least 38 points in its three ACC Championship wins in the stadium.
• This was the 50th win for this Clemson senior class. This is the first 50-win class in ACC history. This group is now 50-6 over the last four years. Clemson was 10-3 in 2014, 14-1 in 2015, 14-1 in 2016 and now 12-1 in 2017.
• This win gives Clemson a school record 88 wins for the decade of the 2010s. The previous record was 87 wins in the 1980s. Thus, Clemson set the school record for wins in a decade this evening against Miami with the 88th win since the start of 2010. Dabo Swinney won the 1992 National Championship as a senior at Alabama against Miami (FL) in the Sugar Bowl. He wore No. 88 as a senior from Alabama. Tonight, Clemson’s victory should give the Tigers a Sugar Bowl bid.
• If Clemson goes to the Sugar Bowl, it will be just the second appearance for the program. Clemson played in the 1959 Sugar Bowl at the end of the 1958 season. The Tigers lost to LSU 7-0.
• This was Clemson’s eighth win this season over a team with a winning record, most in the nation.
• This was Clemson’s sixth win over a team ranked in the top 25 in the AP, USA Today or College Football Playoff polls entering a game in 2017. It set the school record for top-25 wins in a season.
• Tonight was Clemson’s 31st win vs. an ACC school in the last four years, a school record. That includes 28 in the regular season and three ACC Championship wins.
• Clemson is now 43-3 over its last 46 games.
• Clemson and Oklahoma are the only Power Five schools to win three straight conference championships.
• This was Dabo Swinney’s 26th win over a top 25 team. He has the record by six (20 by Danny Ford).
• The Tigers defeated seventh ranked Miami (FL) this evening, marking Clemson’s 11th straight win over a team ranked in the top 25 in either the AP, USA Today, or College Football Playoff polls. That is the longest streak in the nation and a Clemson record.
• Dabo Swinney is now 9-2 in the month of December.
• Clemson is 21-2 away from home since the 2014 season bowl win over Oklahoma.
• Clemson won its 17th ACC Championship with the victory over Miami this evening. Clemson has now won three in a row for the first time since 1986-88. It is the third time Clemson has won three in a row. The Tigers also did it in 1965-66-67.
• This was Clemson’s 23rd conference championship in football overall including its seasons in the SIAA and the Southern Conference. Clemson has more ACC Championships and more total conference championships than any other school currently in the league.
• This is the fourth time Clemson has won at least 12 games in a season, and the third time under Dabo Swinney. Clemson was 12-0 in 1981, and 14-1 in 2015 and 2016.
• Four different Clemson players had a rushing touchdown tonight, the most different players with a rushing TD in a game vs. an ACC teams since the last time Clemson faced Miami. The Tigers had five different players with a rushing score against the Canes in Clemson’s 58-0 win in 2015.
• This evening marked the 11th time in 13 games this year that Clemson allowed just one touchdown over the first three periods. Syracuse and NC State were the only teams with more than one touchdown against the Clemson defense in the first quarters.
• Clemson won the turnover margin 3-1 this evening. Miami had been first in the nation in turnover margin entering the game.
• Clemson’s 35-point victory this evening was the largest margin of victory in Clemson history against a ranked team. The previous best was 34 points in a 34-0 Clemson win over a top 20 Missouri team in 1950, and in 2014 in a 40-6 win over Oklahoma in the Russell Athletic Bowl.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

• Kelly Bryant completed his first 15 passes this evening, marking the longest streak of completions in his career. He finished the game with 23 completions to tie his career high that he established in the previous game against South Carolina.
• Alex Spence made a 46-yard field goal in the third period. It was the longest made field goal of his career by 16 yards.
• Travis Etienne had his 13th rushing touchdown this evening. He tied Sammy Watkins’ freshman total touchdown record with the score. Watkins had 12 receiving touchdowns and one on a kickoff return in 2011.
• Christian Wilkins had one of his best games of the season. The junior had seven tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and two passes broken up.
• Deon Cain became the fifth player in Clemson history with 20 touchdown receptions in a career. The others are DeAndre Hopkins, Sammy Watkins, Mike Williams and Aaron Kelly.