Chase Brice was Clemson's third-string quarterback a week ago. Saturday he led a comeback over Syracuse after injury sidelined the team's new starter. (Richard Shiro/Associated Press)
Clemson has pulled off an impressive balancing act during its ongoing run this decade under Coach Dabo Swinney.
It’s managed an impressive degree of consistency while rattling off seven consecutive 10-win seasons without turning into a joyless machine. And it has avoided excessive drama for the most part even as one of the country’s most scrutinized programs.
The Tigers aren’t in any danger of becoming a buzzkill, in part because of games like Saturday’s 27-23 defeat of Syracuse. But thanks to one of the weirder weeks of Swinney’s tenure, there is undoubtedly drama in Death Valley.
Freshman Trevor Lawrence made his first career start Saturday, just days after Swinney elevated him to the top of the depth chart. Kelly Bryant, the program’s previous starter, then opted to transfer. With new NCAA rules in place this season, Bryant had the option of taking a redshirt because he had played in four games or less.
Lawrence didn’t make it through the first half before taking a hit on a rushing attempt, leaving it to Chase Brice (the team’s third-stringer merely a week ago) to lead a comeback from a 23-13 deficit. His final numbers (7-of-13 passing for 83 yards and one interception) weren’t strikingly impressive. But Brice delivered a 20-yard dart to Tee Higgins to convert a fourth down as the Tigers drove for a go-ahead score, then rushed for 17 yards on the next play.
Clemson ultimately survived because its defense bottled up Syracuse in the second half and its top running back (Travis Etienne) rumbled for 203 yards and three touchdowns. But there’s no shortage of questions lingering, either.
How soon will Lawrence get back? How much more could Brice do with a full week of practice with the first team? Is there any chance Bryant would come back?
(And let’s not forget a nod to the Orange here, either. Syracuse probably proved its worthiness more Saturday than it had in its four victories to open the season.
Long an afterthought at both the national and conference levels, Syracuse was opportunistic throughout and led for much of the day. If the Tigers’ running game hadn’t worn it down, it would have ended September with a sweep of Florida State and Clemson that no one saw coming).
Clemson still boasts an excellent defense and quality depth in most places. But quarterback isn’t one of them, and there’s no argument the Tigers are more vulnerable than they were a week ago. They leave September at 5-0, their playoff hopes undamaged. Clemson might be able to run the table, but it’s also easier to envision a stumble or two along the way than it was at the start of the season.
To build a consistent winner while keeping instability in check is no easy feat. It would be especially noteworthy if Clemson can do so as long as its quarterback depth remains in such flux.
Winners
West Virginia. Ignore the Mountaineers’ relatively modest margin of victory at Texas Tech for a moment. Ignore the underwhelming defensive performance in the second half.
In a true road environment for the first time all season, West Virginia pounced quickly, led by three touchdowns after a quarter and earned a 42-34 victory against a feisty conference foe.
[West Virginia’s Will Grier is a pro. He just happens to be in college.]
The Mountaineers (4-0, 2-0 Big 12) didn’t really finish things off until Keith Washington’s 51-yard interception return with 2:58 to play, and they didn’t score on any of their five meaningful drives after the break (they took a knee to end it in their sixth possession of the second half). There are plenty of things for Coach Dana Holgorsen to pick at.
Yet it was also another indicator West Virginia could very well be the Big 12’s best foil for Oklahoma this season. And with Kansas, Iowa State and Baylor to come in October, the Mountaineers have a manageable path to 7-0 before a daunting final month of the regular season.
Will Grier of the West Virginia was 27 of 41 passing for 370 yards and three touchdowns Saturday. (John Weast/Getty Images)
Army. After the disappointment of falling in overtime at Oklahoma last week, the Black Knights pounded previously undefeated Buffalo 42-13.
It was a very Army-like path to victory, too. The Black Knights (3-2) had four drives that hit all of these plateaus: 10 plays, 70 yards, five minutes off the clock. Toss in a blocked field goal return for a score, and Army was every bit as methodical this week as it was in its near upset in Norman last Saturday.
Alabama. There was never much doubt the Crimson Tide (5-0) wouldn’t face a serious test from Louisiana-Lafayette. And sure enough, Alabama dropped 49 points in the first half of a 56-14 rout.
One of the best developments for Nick Saban’s team was the opportunity to play backup quarterback Jalen Hurts for the fifth time this year. Hurts wasn’t looking to make the Kelly Bryant-like midseason exit, anyway, but the redshirt possibility is now kaput. Alabama will maintain its tested quarterback depth behind Tua Tagovailoa the rest of the way.
[Transfer of power? NCAA’s redshirt rule gives players more options.]
Losers
UCLA. Even though the Bruins’ 38-16 loss at Colorado came Friday night in Boulder, it’s worth revisiting their struggles while sizing up the week in its entirety. UCLA managed only 289 total yards, and while junior Joshua Kelley (12 carries, 124 yards) had a commendable night, his team only found the end zone once.
That leaves UCLA at 0-4 for the first time since 1971 and Chip Kelly with as many losses in his first month as the Bruins’ coach as he had in his first two seasons at Oregon. The remaining schedule is unforgiving, including cross-division games against Oregon, Stanford and Washington. Needless to say, it’s basketball season in Westwood.
Texas Tech. Red Raiders starter Alan Bowman joined Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence as true freshman quarterbacks sidelined in the first half Saturday. He departed the Red Raiders’ 42-34 loss to West Virginia.
While he was in the midst of an uneven day, it still left Texas Tech (3-2) without a quarterback who had thrown for 1,557 yards, 10 touchdowns and two interceptions in his first four starts.
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