Wikipedia

2011 Clemson Tigers football team

The 2011 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers were led by head coach Dabo Swinney in his third full year and fourth overall since taking over midway through 2008 season. They played their home games at Memorial Stadium, known as "Death Valley". They were members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

2011 Clemson Tigers football
ACC champion
ACC Atlantic Division champion
Orange Bowl, L 33–70 vs. West Virginia
ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference
DivisionAtlantic Division
Ranking
CoachesNo. 22
APNo. 22
Record10–4 (6–2 ACC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorChad Morris (1st season)
Offensive schemeSpread
Defensive coordinatorKevin Steele (3rd season)
Co-defensive coordinatorCharlie Harbison (4th season)
Base defense4–3
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
Seasons
← 2010
2012 →
2011 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Atlantic Division
No. 22 Clemson x$   6 – 2     10 – 4  
Wake Forest   5 – 3     6 – 7  
No. 23 Florida State   5 – 3     9 – 4  
NC State   4 – 4     8 – 5  
Boston College   3 – 5     4 – 8  
Maryland   1 – 7     2 – 10  
Coastal Division
No. 21 Virginia Tech x%   7 – 1     11 – 3  
Virginia   5 – 3     8 – 5  
Georgia Tech   5 – 3     8 – 5  
Miami (FL)   3 – 5     6 – 6  
North Carolina   3 – 5     7 – 6  
Duke   1 – 7     3 – 9  
Championship: Clemson 38, Virginia Tech 10
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • % – BCS at-large representative
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

Clemson finished the previous season 6–7, losing in the Meineke Car Care Bowl to South Florida. They began the 2011 season unranked, but after a three-game winning streak against ranked opponents in late September, rose to #8 in the AP and Coaches Poll. However, the surprise Tigers lost three of their final four regular-season contests (with two of the losses to unranked opponents); they fell back to #21 in these polls. However, their early start was enough to clinch a spot in the 2011 ACC Championship Game. They won that game with an unexpectedly dominant performance over Virginia Tech, 38–10. In the process, they won their first ACC title since 1991, and with it an automatic berth in the 2012 Orange Bowl. It was the Tigers' first-ever Bowl Championship Series berth, as well as their first major-bowl appearance since the 1982 Orange Bowl. They lost the game in historic fashion to West Virginia by a score of 70–33, setting a bowl record for points conceded in a game.

Schedule

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DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 33:30 p.m.Troy*
ESPN3W 43–1973,458[1]
September 103:30 p.m.No. 7 (FCS) Wofford*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Clemson, SC
ESPN3W 35–2774,538[1]
September 17NoonNo. 21 Auburn*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Clemson, SC (rivalry)
ABCW 38–2481,514[1]
September 243:30 p.m.No. 11 Florida StateNo. 21
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Clemson, SC (rivalry)
ESPNW 35–3080,994[1]
October 16:00 p.m.at No. 11 Virginia TechNo. 13
ESPN2W 23–366,233[1]
October 83:00 p.m.Boston College No. 8
ACCRSNW 36–1476,315[1]
October 157:00 p.m.at MarylandNo. 8
ESPNUW 56–4547,961[1]
October 22NoonNorth CarolinaNo. 8
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Clemson, SC
ESPNW 59–3880,519[1]
October 298:00 p.m.at Georgia TechNo. 6
ABCL 17–3155,646[1]
November 12NoonWake ForestNo. 9
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Clemson, SC
ESPNUW 31–2878,375[1]
November 193:30 p.m.at NC StateNo. 7
ABC/ESPNL 13–3757,583[1]
November 267:45 p.m.at No. 14 South Carolina*No. 18
ESPNL 13–3483,422[1]
December 38:00 p.m.vs. No. 5 Virginia TechNo. 21
ESPNW 38–1073,675[1]
January 4, 20128:30 p.m.vs. No. 23 West Virginia*No. 14
ESPNL 33–7067,563[1]
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

[2]

Depth chart

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Recruiting class

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College recruiting information (2011)
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Sammy Watkins
WR 		Fort Myers, Florida South Fort Myers 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) -  
Star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Charone Peake
WR 		Roebuck, South Carolina Dorman H.S. 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) —  
Star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Tony Steward
LB 		Saint Augustine, Florida Pedro Menendez H.S. 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 220 lb (100 kg) —  
Star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Stephone Anthony
LB 		Wadesboro, North Carolina Anson H.S. 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 220 lb (100 kg)  
Star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Mike Bellamy (running back)
RB 		Punta Gorda, Florida Charlotte 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 180 lb (82 kg) —  
Star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Corey Crawford
DE 		Chatham, Virginia Hargrave Military Academy 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 275 lb (125 kg) —  
Star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Lateek Townsend
LB 		Bennettsville, South Carolina Marlboro County 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 200 lb (91 kg) -  
Star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Eric Mac Lain
TE 		Fayetteville, North Carolina Jack Britt 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 250 lb (110 kg) —  
Star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Cortez Davis
S 		Daytona Beach, Florida Mainland H.S. 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 200 lb (91 kg) —  
Star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Joe Gore
DE 		Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina East Columbus H.S. 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 260 lb (120 kg) —  
Star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Tony McNeal
QB 		Chester, South Carolina Chester H.S. 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) —  
Star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Shaq Anthony
OL 		Piedmont, South Carolina Wren H.S. 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 260 lb (120 kg) —  
Star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
DeShawn Williams
DT 		Central, South Carolina D.W. Daniel H.S. 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 300 lb (140 kg) —  
Star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Ryan Norton
C 		Mauldin, South Carolina Mauldin H.S. 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 275 lb (125 kg) —  
Star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Roderick Byers
DE 		Rock Hill, South Carolina Northwestern H.S. 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 262 lb (119 kg) —  
Star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Cole Stoudt
QB 		Dublin, Ohio Dublin Coffman 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) —  
Star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
B. J. Goodson
LB 		Lamar, South Carolina Lamar H.S. 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 225 lb (102 kg) —  
Star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Grady Jarrett
DT 		Conyers, Georgia Rockdale County H.S. 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 282 lb (128 kg) —  
Star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Robert Smith (safety)
S 		Dorchester, South Carolina Woodland H.S. 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 200 lb (91 kg) —  
Star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Ammon Lakip
K 		Alpharetta, Georgia Chattahoochee H.S. 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 180 lb (82 kg) —  
Star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Jerome Maybank
DT 		Pawleys Island, South Carolina Waccamaw H.S. 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 335 lb (152 kg) —  
Star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Adam Humphries
WR 		Roebuck, South Carolina Dorman H.S. 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 175 lb (79 kg) —  
Star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Colton Walls
LB 		Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte Latin School 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 230 lb (100 kg) —  
Star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Stanton Seckinger
WR 		Charleston, South Carolina Porter-Gaud School 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) —  
Star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 11   Rivals: 8  247Sports: 10  ESPN: 8
  • ‡ Refers to 40 yard dash
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height, weight and 40 time.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2011 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved February 6, 2016.

Game summaries

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Troy

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See also: 2011 Troy Trojans football team
1 234Total
Troy 6 1003 19
• Clemson 13 01317 43

Clemson opened the season against Troy from the Sun Belt Conference. The Tigers offense had a shaky first half adapting to offensive coordinator Chad Morris's faster new spread set. They were 0-for-8 on third down conversions and had only four first downs. Sophomore quarterback Tajh Boyd had several bad throws and near interceptions as the team were booed off the field at half time.

Down 16–13 with 6:56 left in the third quarter, Clemson finally converted their first third down, tight end Dwayne Allen with a 54-yard touchdown pass from Boyd to put the Tigers ahead. On the next drive, Boyd completed all of his passes including a seven-yard touchdown pass to Jaron Brown. The scoring run continued in the fourth quarter, ending in a 43–19 rout.

Boyd finished the game 20-for-30 for 364 yards and three touchdowns in his debut as Clemson's starting quarterback. Sammy Watkins had seven catches for 81 yards while Andre Ellington rushed 18 times for 89 yards. Freshmen accounted for 266 of Clemson's 468 yards.[3]

Wofford

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See also: 2011 Wofford Terriers football team
1 234Total
Wofford 14 760 27
• Clemson 13 877 35

In week two, Clemson faced Wofford. The inexperienced Tigers defense struggled to contain Wofford's triple-option offense throughout the game. The Terriers led 21–13 with 4:03 remaining in the second quarter, but Tajh Boyd led a six-play, 72-yard drive and a two-point conversion to tie the game before half time.

Wofford's last lead in the game came in the opening series of the second half with a field goal. Clemson scored a touchdown each in the third and fourth quarters before stopping Wofford on fourth-and-2 with 3:30 remaining in the game to hold on for a 35–27 victory.

Boyd was 18-for-29 for 261 yards and three touchdowns. Andre Ellington had 22 carries for 165 yards. His 74-yard touchdown run was the longest of his career.[4]

Auburn

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See also: 2011 Auburn Tigers football team
#21 Auburn at Clemson
1 234Total
Auburn 14 730 24
• Clemson 0 21143 38
Scoring summary
110:36AUBMichael Dyer 52-yard run (Cody Parkey kick)AUB 7–0
17:54AUBEmory Blake 36-yard pass from Barrett Trotter (Cody Parkey kick)AUB 14–0
214:56CLEMDeAndre Hopkins 4-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick)AUB 14–7
28:54AUBMichael Dyer 1-yard run (Cody Parkey kick)AUB 21–7
25:06CLEMDwayne Allen 6-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick)AUB 21–14
21:11CLEMAndre Ellington 2-yard run (Chandler Catanzaro kick)Tied 21–21
313:45CLEMSammy Watkins 65-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick)CLEM 28–21
35:00AUBCody Parkey 38-yard field goalCLEM 28–24
30:16CLEMSammy Watkins 19-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick)CLEM 35–24
411:48CLEMChandler Catanzaro 38-yard field goalCLEM 38–24

Clemson faced defending national champions #21 Auburn in week three. Auburn took a 14–0 lead in the first quarter before Tajh Boyd began finding his passing rhythm. Boyd completed 30 of 42 passes for 386 yards and four touchdowns. The game was tied 21–21 at half time, but Clemson's defense restricted Auburn to a field goal in the second half while Boyd threw two touchdown passes to earn a 38–24 win, ending a 17-game winning streak for Auburn.

Clemson's offense totaled 624 yards, its record against an SEC opponent. Fans swarmed the field at the end of the game. Coach Dabo Swinney remarked, "I couldn't think of a better place to end the streak than Death Valley, South Carolina, baby."[5]

Florida State

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See also: 2011 Florida State Seminoles football team
1 234Total
Florida State 10 0713 30
• Clemson 14 777 35
Scoring summary
110:23FSUDustin Hopkins 32-yard field goalFSU 3–0
17:47CLEMSammy Watkins 24-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick)CLEM 7–3
11:54CLEMTajh Boyd 1-yard run (Chandler Catanzaro kick)CLEM 14–3
10:14FSURodney Smith 57-yard pass from Clint Trickett (Dustin Hopkins kick)CLEM 14–10
211:31CLEMDwayne Allen 12-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick)CLEM 21–10
313:40FSUBjoern Werner 25-yard fumble return (Dustin Hopkins kick)CLEM 21–17
33:03CLEMAndre Ellington 1-yard run (Chandler Catanzaro kick)CLEM 28–17
414:55FSURashad Greene 30-yard pass from Clint Trickett (pass failed)CLEM 28–23
413:06CLEMSammy Watkins 62-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick)CLEM 35–23
47:21FSUKenny Shaw 9-yard pass from Clint Trickett (Dustin Hopkins kick)CLEM 35–30

Following their victory over Auburn, Clemson entered week four ranked #21. They faced Atlantic Division champions Florida State in their fourth straight home game. FSU were without injured starting quarterback E. J. Manuel. Clemson opened up a 21–10 lead by halftime, and were in control for the rest of the game.

Tajh Boyd was 23-for-37 for 344 yards and three touchdowns and had a rushing touchdown. Freshman receiver Sammy Watkins had eight catches for 141 yards and two touchdowns while Andre Ellington rushed for 72 yards.[6]

Virginia Tech

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1 234Total
• Clemson 3 776 23
Virginia Tech 0 300 3
Scoring summary
12:12CLEMChandler Catanzaro 31-yard field goalCLEM 3–0
24:35VTCourtney Journell 24-yard field goalTied 3–3
21:49CLEMAndre Ellington 1-yard run (Chandler Catanzaro kick)CLEM 10–3
310:42CLEMDwayne Allen 32-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick)CLEM 17–3
46:12CLEMMike Bellamy 31-yard run (kick failed)CLEM 23–3
See also: 2011 Virginia Tech Hokies football team

For Clemson's first road game the Tigers traveled to Blacksburg for a matchup with the No. 11 Virginia Tech Hokies. The Tigers' defense turned in its best effort of the season in a 23–3 victory against the No. 11 Hokies. The Clemson defense led by Andre Branch held the Hokies to 258 yards and no touchdowns. Branch had three sacks and was involved in 11 tackles. Tajh Boyd threw one touchdown to Dwayne Allen and one interception while Andre Ellington and Mike Bellamy both recorded a rushing touchdown apiece. This win marked the first time any ACC team had ever beaten three top 25 AP opponents in a row. It was also the second time Virginia Tech had not scored a touchdown in Lane Stadium under Frank Beamer and was the first time since 1995.[7]

Boston College

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See also: 2011 Boston College Eagles football team
1 234Total
Boston College 0 770 14
• Clemson 17 667 36

Clemson's fifth home game of the season was against Boston College. Clemson controlled the Eagles for the majority of the game. Boyd scored 2 touchdowns (1 passing, 1 rushing) before being replaced by Cole Stoudt after suffering a hip injury. Andre Ellington (rushing) and Jaron Brown (receiving) each scored a touchdown, Sammy Watkins recorded 152 receiving yards, while Chandler Catanzaro hit a career-high 5 field goals (38, 42, 28, 20, and 47 yards). This win marked Clemson's best start since 2000.[8]

Maryland

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See also: 2011 Maryland Terrapins football team
#8 Clemson at Maryland
1 234Total
• Clemson 10 71821 56
Maryland 14 14107 45
Scoring summary
18:25CLEMChandler Catanzaro 18-yard field goalCLEM 3–0
14:58MDDavin Meggett 9-yard run (Nick Ferrera kick)MD 7–3
12:23MDCameron Chism 46-yard interception return (Nick Ferrera kick)MD 14–3
11:00CLEMAndre Ellington 9-yard run (Chandler Catanzaro kick)MD 14–10
213:54MDDavin Meggett 7-yard pass from C.J. Brown (Nick Ferrera kick)MD 21–10
28:38MDC.J. Brown 21-yard run (Nick Ferrera kick)MD 28–10
25:28CLEMDeAndre Hopkins 6-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick)MD 28–17
313:06MDMatt Furtsenburg 22-yard pass from C.J. Brown (Nick Ferrera kick)MD 35–17
310:46CLEMSammy Watkins 13-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick)MD 35–24
37:27MDNick Ferrera 27-yard field goalMD 38–24
36:15CLEMChandler Catanzaro 23-yard field goalMD 38–27
33:25CLEMSammy Watkins 15-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Tajh Boyd to Dwayne Allen pass)MD 38–35
411:26CLEMJaron Brown 12-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick)CLEM 42–38
47:35MDMatt Furtsenberg 32-yard pass from C.J. Brown (Nick Ferrera kick)MD 45–42
47:24CLEMSammy Watkins 89-yard kickoff return (Chandler Catanzaro kick)CLEM 49–45
43:55CLEMAndre Ellington 44-yard run (Chandler Catanzaro kick)CLEM 56–45

Tajh Boyd threw four touchdown passes, Andre Ellington rushed for a career-high 212 yards and two touchdowns for the Tigers, and freshman Sammy Watkins scored three TDs (two passing, one kick-off return) as No. 8 Clemson rallied from an 18-point deficit against Maryland to remain unbeaten with a 56–45 victory. The defense, however, yielded 468 yards and had no answer for sophomore quarterback C.J. Brown, who ran for 162 yards and a touchdown and threw three scoring passes in his first college start. The 18-point deficit was the second largest in Clemson University history. Sammy Watkins also broke the school record for most all-purpose yards in a game (345 yards) held previously by Clemson great C.J. Spiller (312 yards).[9]

North Carolina

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See also: 2011 North Carolina Tar Heels football team
1 234Total
North Carolina 7 10714 38
• Clemson 10 14350 59

A 35-point third quarter explosion highlighted Clemson's home win over the Tar Heels, including a 5-touchdown performance by quarterback Tajh Boyd. Defensive end Kourtnei Brown scored two defensive touchdowns, once on an interception and another on a fumble return. Boyd threw for 367 yards and rushed for one touchdown. Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins had 157 yards receiving and a touchdown. Clemson's defense held UNC running back Giovani Bernard to 44 yards rushing, ending his five-game streak of 100 yards or more.[10]

Georgia Tech

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See also: 2011 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
1 234Total
Clemson 3 077 17
• Georgia Tech 7 1770 31

The Tigers suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of the Yellow Jackets in Atlanta. Georgia Tech's triple option attack was seemingly unstoppable for the Clemson defense as Yellow Jacket quarterback Tevin Washington scampered for 176 yards on 27 carries and a touchdown. Clemson's high-powered offense never left the gates in the first half, although the Tigers made a play for a comeback in the second half with a 48-yard touchdown catch by Sammy Watkins. Following a Rashard Hall interception to the Georgia Tech 9, the Tigers looked to have a chance to rally back, but Tajh Boyd threw an interception in the end zone to Jemea Thomas on the next play. Clemson's four turnovers in the game would ultimately prove to be costly for the Tigers.[11]

Wake Forest

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See also: 2011 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team
1 234Total
Wake Forest 7 0210 28
• Clemson 7 7710 31

Clemson clinched its second ACC Atlantic Division title in a nail-biter game against the Demon Deacons in Death Valley. The Tigers' 14–7 third quarter lead quickly deteriorated following a 50-yard Mike Campanaro punt return for Wake Forest. Demon Deacon running back Brandon Pendergrass added two more scores to put Wake Forest up 28–14. Clemson also lost Sammy Watkins for the second half following an injury on a third-quarter kick return. The Tigers, however, rallied back with two touchdown tosses from quarterback Tajh Boyd. Following a missed 47-yard field goal try by Demon Deacon kicker Jimmy Newman, the Tigers orchestrated a drive to set up a 43-yard game-winning kick by Chandler Catanzaro as time expired. With the win, Clemson secured its trip to Charlotte for the ACC Championship Game and finished undefeated at home for the first time since 1990.[12]

North Carolina State

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See also: 2011 NC State Wolfpack football team
1 234Total
Clemson 3 037 13
• North Carolina State 0 27100 37

NC State shocked a heavily favored Clemson team in Raleigh, including a dominant 27-point second quarter performance. Wolfpack quarterback Mike Glennon threw for 253 yards and three touchdowns while Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd, despite throwing 238 yards, threw two interceptions, no touchdowns, and was replaced in the 4th quarter by Cole Stoudt. NC State's aggressive pass rush hindered Boyd and Clemson's big play ability throughout the game, and the Tigers' four turnovers to NC State's none proved costly. The Wolfpack stymied Clemson's running game with running back Andre Ellington the team leader at only 28 yards.[13]

at No. 12 South Carolina (rivalry)

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See also: 2011 South Carolina Gamecocks football team
Game Twelve– No. 17 Clemson Tigers (9-2) at No. 12 South Carolina Gamecocks (9-2) – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 17 Clemson 0 10 0313
No. 12 South Carolina 10 7 71034

at Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, South Carolina

  • Date: Saturday, November 26, 2011
  • Game time: 7:45 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Temperature: • Wind: • Weather: Clear
  • TV: ESPN
Game information
First quarter
  • (10:23) SC – Jay Wooten 47-yard field goal (Drive: 10 plays, 48 yards, 4:37; South Carolina 3-0)
  • (6:36) SC – Bruce Ellington 49-yard pass from Connor Shaw (Jay Wooten kick) (Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 2:52; South Carolina 10-0)
Second quarter
  • (11:32) CLEM – Dwayne Allen 9-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick) (Drive: 12 plays, 61 yards, 4:47; South Carolina 10-7)
  • (6:14) CLEM – Chandler Catanzaro 32-yard field goal (Drive: 5 plays, 11 yards, 1:01; Tied 10-10)
  • (1:55) SC – Connor Shaw 15-yard run (Jay Wooten kick) (Drive: 9 plays, 60 yards, 4:19; South Carolina 17-10)
Third quarter
  • (9:52) SC – Rory Anderson 2-yard pass from Connor Shaw (Jay Wooten kick) (Drive: 5 plays, 66 yards, 2:18; South Carolina 24-10)
Fourth quarter
  • (13:48) CLEM – Chandler Catanzaro 40-yard field goal (Drive: 8 plays, 13 yards, 2:39; South Carolina 24-13)
  • (6:26) SC – Jay Wooten 37-yard field goal (Drive: 14 plays, 50 yards, 7:22; South Carolina 27-13)
  • (5:20) SC – Alshon Jeffery 18-yard pass from Connor Shaw (Jay Wooten kick) (Drive: 2 plays, 19 yards, 0:41; South Carolina 34-13)
Statistics CLEM SC
First downs 12 19
Total yards 60–153 73–420
Rushing yards 30–70 53–210
Passing yards 117 226
Passing: Comp–Att–Int 11–30–1 14–20–0
Time of possession 14:03 22:37
Team Category Player Statistics
Clemson Passing Tahj Boyd 11/29, 83 yards, TD, INT
Rushing Andre Ellington 13 carries, 66 yards
Receiving Sammy Watkins 4 receptions, 39 yards
South Carolina Passing Connor Shaw 14/20, 210 yards, 3 TD
Rushing Connor Shaw 19 carries, 107 yards, TD
Receiving Bruce Ellington 3 receptions, 71 yards, TD

ACC Championship

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Main article: 2011 ACC Championship Game
See also: 2011 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
1 234Total
Virginia Tech 7 300 10
• Clemson 7 3217 38

Although devastating losses to NC State and South Carolina had Clemson's future looking bleak for the rematch against Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship, the Tigers regained their form from earlier in the season to secure their first ACC Championship game win and their first ACC title in 20 years. Quarterback Tajh Boyd threw for 240 yards and three touchdowns, including a 53-yard strike to Sammy Watkins during the Tigers' 21-point third quarter rally. Clemson defense forced three touchdowns and kept the Hokies scoreless in the second half. The defense also held running back David Wilson, the ACC's player of the year, to only 32 yards rushing. Clemson running back Andre Ellington ran for 125 yards and one touchdown on 20 carries. With the win, Clemson solidified its first 10-win season since 1990, a spot in the Orange Bowl and its first BCS bowl bid in school history.[14]

Orange Bowl

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Main article: 2012 Orange Bowl
See also: 2011 West Virginia Mountaineers football team
1 234Total
• West Virginia 14 35147 70
Clemson 17 367 33
Scoring summary
19:33CLEMAndre Ellington 68-yard run (Chandler Catanzaro kick)CLEM 7–0
16:54WVUShawne Alston 4-yard run (Tyler Bitancourt kick)Tied 7–7
14:38CLEMSammy Watkins 27-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick)CLEM 14–7
12:49WVUTavon Austin 8-yard pass from Geno Smith (Tyler Bitancourt kick)Tied 14–14
10:45CLEMChandler Catanzaro 42-yard field goalCLEM 17–14
213:25WVUTavon Austin 27-yard pass from Geno Smith (Tyler Bitancourt kick)WVU 21–17
210:28WVUDarwin Cook 99-yard fumble return (Tyler Bitancourt kick)WVU 28–17
24:49CLEMChandler Catanzaro 43-yard field goalWVU 28–20
22:29WVUGeno Smith 7-yard run (Tyler Bitancourt kick)WVU 35–20
21:13WVUTavon Austin 3-yard pass from Geno Smith (Tyler Bitancourt kick)WVU 42–20
20:04WVUShawne Alston 1-yard run (Tyler Bitancourt kick)WVU 49–20
312:35WVUStedman Bailey 6-yard pass from Geno Smith (Tyler Bitancourt kick)WVU 56–20
39:18WVUTavon Austin 37-yard pass from Geno Smith (Tyler Bitancourt kick)WVU 63–20
31:37CLEMDeAndre Hopkins 28-yard pass from Tajh Boyd (pass failed)WVU 63–26
46:21WVUWillie Milhouse 7-yard pass from Geno Smith (Tyler Bitancourt kick)WVU 70–26
41:01CLEMRoderick McDowell 4-yard run (Chandler Catanzaro kick)WVU 70–33

Clemson's best season in 20 years came to a crashing halt with arguably the worst bowl loss in school history. What at first appeared to have the makings of a high-scoring shootout between the Tigers and West Virginia turned into a shellacking on par with a video game score in the second quarter. Following Andre Ellington's fumble at the goalline and the 99-yard touchdown return by Mountaineer safety Darwin Cook, the floodgates opened for the Tigers. West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith was electrifying, and Clemson's defense did not have an answer for him as he rattled off 407 yards passing and 6 touchdowns. Although Clemson coughed the ball up four times on offense, the real story lay in the defense's inability to stop Smith and the Mountaineer offense. The result was a record in points in a bowl game for West Virginia.[15]

Rankings

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See also: 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes
Week
PollPre1234567891011121314Final
AP—RV—21138886119718211422
CoachesRVRVRV221588861210817211422
HarrisNot released8861098172014Not released
BCSNot released751197172015Not released

2012 NFL draft

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Clemson had four players selected in the 2012 NFL draft.

Player Team Round Pick # Position
Andre Branch Jacksonville Jaguars 2nd 38th DE
Dwayne Allen Indianapolis Colts 3rd 64th TE
Brandon Thompson Cincinnati Bengals 3rd 93rd DT
Coty Sensabaugh Tennessee Titans 4th 115th CB

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "2011 Clemson Football Stats" (PDF). Clemson University Department of Athletics. Retrieved January 28, 2012.[permanent dead link‍]
  2. ^ "Schedule". Clemson University Department of Athletics. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
  3. ^ "Tajh Boyd Throws for Three TDs as Clemson Routs Troy". ESPN. September 3, 2011. Archived from the original on September 25, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  4. ^ "Clemson Needs Tajh Boyd's 3 TDs to Get by Wofford". ESPN. September 10, 2011. Archived from the original on September 25, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  5. ^ "Clemson Upsets Auburn to End Tigers' 17-Game Winning Streak". ESPN. September 17, 2011. Archived from the original on September 26, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  6. ^ "Clemson Upends FSU Behind Tajh Boyd's 3 TD Passes". ESPN. September 24, 2011. Archived from the original on September 26, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  7. ^ "Clemson Downs Virginia Tech for Third Straight Win Over Ranked Team". ESPN. October 1, 2011. Archived from the original on October 4, 2011. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  8. ^ "Tajh Boyd Injures Hip While No. 8 Clemson Glides Past Boston College". ESPN. October 8, 2011. Archived from the original on October 10, 2011. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  9. ^ "Clemson Overcomes Upset-Minded Maryland Behind Tajh Boyd's 4 TD Passes". ESPN. October 15, 2011. Archived from the original on October 17, 2011. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  10. ^ "Tajh Boyd Tosses 5 TDs to Push No. 7 Clemson Past North Carolina". ESPN. October 22, 2011. Archived from the original on July 8, 2012. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
  11. ^ "Tevin Washington Runs for 176 Yards as Georgia Tech Knocks off Clemson". ESPN. October 29, 2011. Archived from the original on November 2, 2011. Retrieved October 30, 2011.
  12. ^ "Late Rally, Last-Second Field Goal Give Clemson ACC Atlantic Division Title". ESPN. November 12, 2011. Archived from the original on November 14, 2011. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  13. ^ "North Carolina State Surprises Mistake Prone Clemson". ESPN. November 19, 2011. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  14. ^ "Clemson Rips No. 5 Virginia Tech to Win ACC Championship". ESPN. December 3, 2011. Archived from the original on December 7, 2011. Retrieved December 3, 2011.
  15. ^ "West Virginia Routs Clemson in Record-Setting Orange Bowl". ESPN. January 4, 2012. Archived from the original on January 8, 2012. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
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