One snap is all Clemson needed to reveal its intentions for the ground game.
Lyn-J Dixon took the handoff on the Tigers’ first snap and rumbled 16 yards through the middle of South Carolina State’s defense, surpassing Clemson’s rushing output from a week ago. The senior running back got another carry on the next play. Kobe Pace got a carry two plays later. Then another.
Will Shipley took his turn next. The true freshman had back-to-back runs of 4 and 8 yards before the Tigers used quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei’s legs to cap their first scoring drive with a 4-yard scamper, one in which Clemson ran seven out of nine times and covered 56 of 72 yards on the ground.