Clemson 24, Texas A&M 10: Solid Win in Crucial Game

Photo by Tigernet


The Tigers weren't dominant in the 24-10 win over Texas A&M on Saturday, but they also weren't seriously challenged in a game that was supposed to be the most challenging on the schedule.

Clemson's defense held the Aggies to just 289 yards of offense. Meanwhile, quarterback Trevor Lawrence was 24-for-35 for 268 yards and a touchdown.

Next up for the Tigers is Syracuse. The Orangemen were supposed to be a challenge for Clemson, but they looked awful in a shocking 63-20 loss to Maryland on Saturday.

GAME COVERAGE: Anderson Independent Mail, Shakin' the Southland.

OWNING THE SEC: The Tigers are 9-1 against the nation's top conference since 2016.

STILL NO. 1: Clemson holds on to the No. 1 position in all major polls, including AP.

The Atlantic Tackles Trevor Lawrence

MATTHEW EMMONS / USA TODAY SPORTS / REUTERS
High-brow web/print hybrid The Atlantic focuses on Clemson's young superstar quarterback Trevor Lawrence and how NFL rules prohibit him from playing on Sundays.

The plain facts of his talent and his inability to make money off of it, though, fit neatly into an era of growing skepticism about the ethics of nominally amateur college sports. 

It's a good piece and it's not too long; read the whole thing.

The Unprecedented Trevor Lawrence

Clemson 247 crunched some numbers, and it turns out that quarterback Trevor Lawrence's performance in his freshman year was even better than we thought:

Using Sports Reference data, which circles back to 2000, 247Sports looked for any true freshman season that even slightly resembled Lawrence's. There aren’t any. For those wondering, pre-2000 stat lines wouldn’t encompass the same sort of passing numbers Lawrence and modern offenses produce.

Wow.

Trevor Lawrence is the Man ...

You knew that already, of course, but USA TODAY (my old employer) just made it official by ranking Clemson's Trevor Lawrence as the No. 1 quarterback for the 2019 season:

Lawrence tossed just four interceptions against 30 touchdowns during his first year on campus, capped by his 347-yard, near-perfect performance against the Crimson Tide. That's just a taste of what's to come for a sophomore already compared to some of the great prospects at his position in recent history — including Peyton Manning.

I am so ready for this season to begin.