BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY | GAME NOTES
CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson’s defense allowed just 76 total yards of offense in a 37-0 shutout of Charleston Southern (3-4, 0-2 OVC) on Saturday during Military Appreciation Day in Memorial Stadium. Clemson (4-2, 2-1 ACC) piled up 13 tackles for loss, held the Buccaneers to an 0-for-11 mark on third-down conversions and scored a defensive touchdown in the effort. The Tigers also posted 438 yards of total offense with 231 rushing yards and 207 through the air.
Chris Johnson Jr. rushed for two touchdowns and Gideon Davidson recorded one, while tight end Christian Bentancur led the Tigers with 74 receiving yards. Freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds passed for 127 yards and rushed for 40 more. Nolan Hauser also drilled the second-longest field goal in program history, hitting a 59-yarder in the second quarter en route to a 3-for-3 day on field goals and 12 total points.
On the defensive side of the ball, Vic Burley, Caden Story, London Merritt, C.J. Kubah-Taylor contributed to sacks in the contest. Story totaled a career-best 3.0 tackles for loss, and Story and cornerback Ashton Hampton led the team with four tackles each.
Johnson returned the opening kick 43 yards to give the Tigers the ball on the Charleston Southern 44. Kicker Nolan Hauser completed Clemson’s ensuing drive with a 41-yard field goal to give Clemson the 3-0 advantage with 12:51 left in the first quarter.
After the Tiger defense forced a 50-yard missed field goal by the Buccaneers, Clemson followed a nine-play, 68-yard touchdown drive. A six-yard run by Johnson was his first touchdown as a Tiger, and a successful Hauser PAT made the score 10-0 Tigers.
Clemson continued its momentum to start the second quarter with a 12-play, 40-yard touchdown drive, highlighted by a 10-yard Reynolds scramble that set up a seven-yard Gideon Davidson touchdown run to bring the score to 17-0. On Clemson’s next possession, the Tigers moved the ball 70 yards in nine plays to score another rushing touchdown, this one a two-yard run by Johnson for his career-high second rushing touchdown of the game.
It took only nine seconds for Clemson to again add to its lead. On the kickoff following Johnson’s second touchdown run, wide receiver Tristan Smith forced a fumble that safety Kylon Griffin returned 17 yards for a touchdown.
On the Tigers’ final drive of the first half, Hauser successfully converted a career-long 59-yard field goal, the second-longest field goal in Clemson history. It stretched the lead to 34-0 Tigers heading into the break. Defensively, Clemson held the Buccaneers to 70 total yards of offense over five first-half drives, including two punts and one turnover on downs.
Clemson pushed the score to 37-0 on another Hauser field goal, this one from 44 yards out in the second half. The Buccaneers threatened in the fourth quarter when a 45-yard interception return by Charleston Southern’s Mylan Bowen set up the Buccaneers at the Clemson 30-yard line. However, Clemson’s defense stiffened, as consecutive sacks by Burley and Story on third and fourth down gave the ball back to the Tigers.
Clemson will remain at home next week when the Tigers face the Virginia Tech Hokies on Saturday, Oct. 24. Kickoff for that game is slated for either 7 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN or ESPN2, with the kickoff time and television network expected to be confirmed Saturday. Ticket information for that Homecoming contest is available at ClemsonTigers.com/FootballTickets.