CLEMSON – Throughout the entire contest between Clemson and SMU, the Tigers’ defense looked off.
Despite a few drives ending in punts and a single sack earlier in the game, the Tigers weren’t able to stop SMU’s offense. The vulnerability through the air, the missed tackles, and the inability to set the edge were all a part of the 35-24 loss to the Mustangs.
After trading punts early in the game, Clemson’s offense was completely without identity, with backup quarterback Christopher Vizzina getting acquainted with the game. The need for the defense to step up was paramount, but they could only hold on for so long, as SMU found its first score on a wide-open deep pass from quarterback Kevin Jennings to receiver Jordan Hudson for 70 yards.