Opponent Preview: What to know about No. 5 Clemson

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No. 14 Syracuse (6-0, 3-0 Atlantic Coast) pulled off a convincing, statement victory last Saturday against then-No.15 NC State. It’s still undefeated and will face its biggest test of the season in No. 5 Clemson (7-0, 5-0 ACC). The Orange are heading to Death Valley, a place where they’ve never won before, but with their highest ranking since 2018 and four Power Five wins under their belt, an upset against the Tigers may not be as far-fetched as it appeared before the season began.

Here is everything you need to know about Clemson ahead of Syracuse’s second road game of the season on Saturday:

All-time series

Clemson leads, 8-2.

Last time they played

Last season, a then-unranked, 3-2 Clemson visited the Dome against a Syracuse team that had just lost two straight conference games by three points each. The game marked Garrett Shrader’s third start since taking over for Tommy DeVito three games into the campaign.

After going scoreless in the first quarter, Clemson broke the deadlock just over six minutes into the second quarter on a 19-yard reception from Joseph Ngata. Syracuse responded with a short rush from Shrader on the subsequent drive, but the Tigers led at halftime, scoring with nine seconds left in the half.

The third quarter also finished scoreless, and Clemson tacked on a 40-yard field goal to take a 10-point lead in the fourth. But Syracuse, though only recording two drives and 138 total yards for the rest of the game, pulled within three points on a Trebor Peña receiving touchdown.

With 43 seconds left on SU’s final drive, the Orange turned to their Lou Groza Award-winning kicker Andre Szmyt to tie the game with a 48-yard field goal. The kick went short and the Orange lost its third-straight three-point game.

The Tigers report

Clemson enters Saturday’s game having moved down a spot in the rankings, despite a perfect 7-0 record. It has proven that it’s among the most consistent teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision. After a rocky sophomore season, quarterback DJ Uiagalelei has comfortably passed for over 200 yards a game and is tied for tenth nationally with 17 passing touchdowns.

Player to watch: Will Shipley, Running Back, No. 1

Emma Kelly | Design Editor

Clemson has put up at least 30 points in every game, and have only allowed more than 20 points twice this season. But the Tigers are certainly beatable, as they needed 51 points against Wake Forest to counter a 21-point third quarter by the Demon Deacons. That game ended in double-overtime when Uiagalelei’s 21-yard pass to Davis Allen sealed Clemson’s six-point win.

Clemson’s offensive production is led by sophomore running back Will Shipley, who has 840 total yards and has looked comfortable all season long. Defensively, Clemson has the fourth-best rushing defense in the country, allowing just 82.7 yards per game, and is one of 16 teams allowing an average of less than 100 yards. In terms of passing defense, Clemson ranks 95th, allowing over 10 yards per completion and 255.7 yards per game.

How Syracuse beats Clemson

In order to break Clemson’s 37-game home unbeaten streak, Syracuse needs to trust its passing offense. Shrader has proven that he has an arm and the stats reflect that. He ranks 11th nationally in passing efficiency, 16th in completion percentage, ninth in yards per pass attempt and 29th in yards per completion.
It’s safe to say that Shrader’s role in Syracuse’s new offense has led to its undefeated start. He’s got reliable targets in Damien Alford and Oronde Gasden II — who caught for a career-high 141 yards against NC State — along with the ACC’s second-best running back, Sean Tucker, as a reliable screen pass option.

Despite two interceptions that prevented Syracuse from adding onto its win over the Wolfpack, if Shrader can move the ball like he’s done, both in the air and on the ground, the Orange could make a case for an upset.

Stat to know: 50.5

Clemson averages 31 minutes of possession per game, so being in third down situations is likely. It has already played 109 third downs this season, and has converted on 50.5% of them. While the Tigers still produce over 30 points a game, they generate their offense in small increments, which plays into how much time they spend on the ball per game.

Clemson averages just 4.5 yards per play, ninth in the ACC, but has the conference’s fourth-most total yards and ranks second in touchdowns. This re-emphasizes Clemson’s lack of a standout producer on offense, like it had with Trevor Lawrence two seasons ago, and shows a collective consistency from its lower profile impact players.

Averaging 120 yards through seven games, Will Shipley ranks 36th in the country in total yards per game. His 5.9 yards per carry also ranks 35th nationally and eighth in the ACC. The true sophomore missed three games a season ago, including the Tigers’ trip to the Dome, but still recorded 738 yards and led the team with 11 touchdowns.

Shipley’s carries per game this season have varied based on the toughness of Clemson’s opponent. He recorded the most carries per game in the Tigers’ three ranked matchups, recording 20 against both Wake Forest and Florida State and 14 against NC State, rushing for over 100 yards against the Demon Deacons and the Seminoles. Syracuse never got a taste of Shipley last season, but it should expect to get tested frequently by the Tigers’ run game.