CLEMSON — There were a lot of good things that happened in No. 10 Clemson’s 48-31 victory over Virginia on Saturday. Unfortunately for the Tigers, there were some bad things as well and a few things looked ugly.
On offense, Clemson (6-1, 5-0 ACC) racked up 539 total yards, was 9 of 15 on third down conversions and was 5-for-5 in red zone opportunities. The defense held the Cavaliers to 68 yards on the ground, had four sacks and forced two fumbles.
However, Clemson got off to another slow start on offense, scoring just three points in the first quarter. Quarterback Cade Klubnik threw an awful interception that led to a UVa touchdown and the backup defensive players gave up 21 points in the fourth quarter.
Here are the good, the bad and the ugly from Memorial Stadium.
The Good
C.J. Spiller was inducted into the Ring of Honor at Memorial Stadium. The former Clemson running back, who now serves as the Tigers’ running backs coach, became the 12 th member of the football program’s Ring of Honor.
It was an emotional moment for Spiller, who was honored prior to Saturday’s game.
“I knew he would go in the Ring of Honor one day, but I am just glad that the Good Lord allowed me to be here, to see it,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said. “And there will be more to have an opportunity, but C.J., he is special. He truly is one of the first people to believe in me. And I really think that I am not here without him.
“He really changed Clemson… He is just special. I love his whole family. It is awesome to just do life with him at this point.”
The Bad
Clemson’s second-team defense again got exposed in a lopsided win. Heading into the fourth quarter, Clemson owned a 38-10 lead. At that point, the Tigers’ first team defense and key reserve players held the Cavaliers to 172 total yards.
Virginia (4-3, 2-2 ACC) had just 45 total yards in the third quarter and only 105 in the second and third quarters combined.
However, once the rest of the backups came into the game, the defense yielded 21 points and 173 total yards. Cavaliers’ backup quarterback Tony Muskett completed 6 of 7 passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns.
Virginia quarterbacks completed touchdown passes of 44 and 65 yards in the fourth quarter. The Wahoos had just 106 passing yards prior to the fourth quarter and their longest completion was a 25-yard screen pass to Kobe Pace.
The Ugly
Things got heated in the fourth quarter between the two teams, which resulted in Virginia’s Ben Smiley III being ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct after scuffling with Clemson players and even one of his own teammates.
Smiley pushed Clemson players, referees and his own teammates, while shouting at the Tigers after a play was blown dead in the fourth quarter. He even pushed back at his own teammate as he was trying to lead him off the field.
Smiley was the only player penalized in the altercation.
Virginia coach Tony Elliott said after the game Smiley’s actions, though out of character, were “unacceptable” and he took accountability for his actions.
The defensive lineman is the second player from an opposing team to be ejected in a game this season at Death Valley. NC State defensive lineman Anthony Belton was ejected for spitting at a Clemson player in the second quarter of the Tigers’ victory on Sept 21.
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