Clemson vs. Miami: Game Grades, Analysis for Tigers and Hurricanes
The sixth-ranked Clemson Tigers wasted no time in destroying the Miami Hurricanes, scoring 21 points in the opening quarter en route to a 58-0 blowout at Sun Life Stadium on Saturday.
Clemson's offense racked up 34 first downs and 567 total yards of offense compared to seven and 146 for Miami, which suffered the worst loss in program history.
| Pass Offense | A | A |
| Run Offense | A | A |
| Pass Defense | A- | A |
| Run Defense | A | A |
| Special Teams | A | B |
| Coaching | A | A |
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Pass Offense: The rout was already on before Deshaun Watson tossed his first incompletion. He connected on nine straight passing attempts to open the game and finished 15-of-19 for 143 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Jordan Leggett set a Clemson record with a touchdown for the fifth consecutive game.
Run Offense: The only thing that really slowed down the Tigers running game was the volume of carries needed to burn the clock. Wayne Gallman tallied 118 yards, Watson added 98 yards and a touchdown and Clemson scored six touchdowns on the ground.
Pass Defense: Jadar Johnson perfectly read a route combination and jumped a wheel route for a red-zone interception. Cordrea Tankersley had a pick-six before halftime. The Tigers racked up five sacks, including two from Shaq Lawson.
Run Defense: After Joseph Yearby ripped off a 22-yard run on his first carry, Clemson limited the sophomore to 20 yards on 12 more carries. Miami, which entered the game with the No. 103 rush offense in the nation, limped to 53 total yards on the ground.
Special Teams: Greg Huegel drilled a 30-yard field goal and hit seven of eight extra points. Andy Teasdall averaged 42.2 yards per punt, dropping two inside the 20. Ray Ray McCloud fumbled a punt, which was the team's glaring mistake of the day.
Coaching: One of the most popular terms in college football is "Clemsoning," but Dabo Swinney has rightly taken issue with the term. The program recorded its 35th consecutive win over an unranked opponent. Additionally, the play-calling was superb throughout the first half—the only somewhat-competitive part of the tilt.
| Pass Offense | D | D- |
| Run Offense | D- | F |
| Pass Defense | F | F |
| Run Defense | F | F |
| Special Teams | B+ | A- |
| Coaching | F | F |
Pass Offense: Once Brad Kaaya exited the game due to a concussion, Miami had no chance. Though the standout sophomore ended 6-of-10 for 51 yards, his red-zone interception killed the 'Canes early on. Backup Malik Rosier completed just seven of his 22 attempts and tossed two picks.
Run Offense: The offensive line has consistently folded against top opponents. Yearby racked up 420 yards in his first four appearances but has tallied 135 yards combined against Florida State, Virginia Tech and Clemson.
Pass Defense: Miami couldn't stop the quick-hitting throws and gave up 10 first downs on 17 completions. Additionally, the defensive line was constantly unable to amount a pass rush because Watson distributed the ball swiftly and efficiently.
Run Defense: Four Clemson players notched at least 40 rushing yards, five Tigers scored a touchdown and the Hurricanes surrendered 6.6 yards per carry. Once again, Miami couldn't even contain the speed option. The defense's issues run deep—and so do its opponents.
Special Teams: Justin Vogel was the MVP of the day. The junior punter blasted a 73-yard punt that rolled out of bounds inside the 1-yard line and managed a 42.5-yard average on 10 kicks. Not that this is any consolation for Miami fans.
Coaching: Bad, awful, horrible, terrible. The offensive line couldn't block, the defense had no discipline and the Hurricanes couldn't do anything about it. Al Golden's tenure at The U must be winding down, because this was an embarrassing loss for the program.
Follow Bleacher Report college football writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
