High Scoring First Quarter Boosts Clemson Past Pitt on Senior Day

By Zach Wagner 

A school record breaking 31-point first quarter paced the Clemson Tigers offense on Saturday afternoon inside of Memorial Stadium, as Clemson (8-1, 7-1 ACC) took down the Pitt Panthers, 52-17. The win on senior day marks a perfect record inside of Death Valley for the Tigers seniors, the first ever class in school history to accomplish the feat. 

The first quarter saw the Tigers put up 31 points, the most points scored in a first quarter in school history. The offense was helped out and put in short-field situations on multiple drives thanks to the Clemson defense, who picked off Pitt’s quarterback three times in the first fifteen minutes of the game. Andrew Booth Jr, Mario Goodrich, and Malcom Greene all registered interceptions in the first quarter. 

In what will likely be their last game in Death Valley, quarterback Trevor Lawrence and wide receivers Amari Rodgers and Cornell Powell put on a show for the Tigers fans in the stands. 

Lawrence finished his junior season in Memorial Stadium with a 26-for-37, 403 yards and two touchdown pass performance. The 403 yards passing yards is one yard shy of his career passing yards record. The win also marks Lawrence’s 32nd win as the starting quarterback for Clemson, tying the school record set by Tajh Boyd and Deshaun Watson. 

Cornell Powell became just the sixth Clemson receiver to account for over 100 receiving yards in three straight games, and just the third to record back-to-back 150 receiving yard games (Deandre Hopkins, Sammy Watkins). The fifth-year senior caught six passes for 176 yards and a touchdown. 

Fellow senior, Amari Rodgers, also showed out on his senior day, catching 10 passes for 93 yards. Rodgers had a touchdown called back due to a lineman down field, but should be acknowledged for the heart he showed on the play, extending his body for the diving catch. 

It was also senior day for Travis Etienne, who did not put up any eye-opening numbers, but still rushed for two touchdowns on the afternoon. Etienne also broke the school record for most receiving yards in a season by a running back, which was previously held by CJ Spiller. It took Etienne only nine games to break the record. 

Freshman EJ Williams started his first game for the Tigers, and may have locked up a starting role on the boundary for the rest of the season depending on the health of Joseph Ngata and Frank Ladson Jr. 

The Tigers had five different players find the end zone for them in the blowout. Travis Etienne (2x), Chez Mellusi (2x), Lyn-J Dixon (1x), Cornell Powell (1x) and EJ Williams (1x) all scored for Clemson. 

The Clemson defense got back to its usual ways after getting back James Sklaski, Tyler Davis and Mike Jones Jr. The defense forced four interceptions and held an offense who came in averaging close to 400 yards a game to 244 and just 14 rushing yards during the whole game. 

Clemson will hit the road again next week, traveling to Blacksburg Virginia for a matchup with the Virginia Tech Hokies. Kick off has yet to be announced and network specification will be announced sometime this week.