Clemson’s football’s ACC title and playoff ambitions took a serious hit after a disappointing 33-21 house loss to Louisville final weekend, a recreation wherein they have been favored by 10 factors. The Tigers, using excessive on a six-game profitable streak and boasting one of many nation’s highest-scoring offenses, have been anticipated to proceed that momentum however as an alternative discovered themselves outmatched by a resilient Louisville squad.
Louisville’s protection held Clemson’s beforehand high-powered offense in verify, forcing key turnovers and blocking two discipline objectives. Clemson’s protection, in the meantime, struggled to cease Louisville’s floor recreation, permitting 210 speeding yards and three touchdowns because the Cardinals put collectively 5 consecutive scoring drives to shut out the sport.
Fox Sports activities analyst Joel Klatt didn’t maintain again his shock at Clemson’s efficiency. “I used to be completely flawed about Clemson,” Klatt shared on his podcast, explaining that he believed Clemson’s current offensive success would proceed. He added, “I used to be placing them within the playoff, and so they threw out an absolute stinker…at house. I didn’t see that coming.”
Klatt additional emphasised the influence of Louisville’s head coach, Jeff Brohm, who has a historical past of pulling off massive upsets. “This goes again to what Jeff Brohm simply does,” Klatt stated, recalling Brohm’s penchant for upsetting prime groups. “However doing it on the street at Clemson, that was spectacular, and that’s acquired to be a disappointing, disappointing, irritating loss for Clemson followers.”
With this setback, Clemson (6-2, 5-1 ACC) will look to regroup after they head to Blacksburg to face Virginia Tech this Saturday. Their defeat, together with Pittsburgh’s loss to SMU, leaves Miami and SMU because the ACC’s solely undefeated groups in convention play.
